Shades Of Wings
by Magical Girl Pretty Sammy-Chan
Summary: Adrian Lexington, a rich summoner has chosen her guardians for her upcoming pilgramige! But with a drinking Guado, a cold-hearted axe-man, a secret Al Bhed, and a short sword wielder that won't shut up, how can their quest succeed? R&R Please!
1. Indigo Wings

Indigo Wings

Author's Notes: Hey! Here's a FFX fic that takes place much before the actual game! It's about a young guardian named Juka and her trip throughout Spira with her summoner.

Time for the story!

* * *

"My name's Juka," Juka held out her hand to shake Adrian's. "Nice to meet you!" Adrian flashed her a cold look and Juka recoiled her hand as Adrian kept walking down the lines of possible guardians.

Adrian Lexington was a woman by the age of 19 that came from an extremely wealthy family. She knew that she was going to become a summoner the minute she was able to comprehend human words. It was her destiny to become a summoner, to throw her life away for the lives of others.

Juka scowled as the rich, cold girl, dressed in a white tunic and black skirt walked down the aisle of guardians. Her blonde long hair with black streaks hung loosely on her shoulders, only held by her black ivory circlet. Black hanging earrings dangled from her ears and a dark black choker tightly grasped her neck. Juka made a face at Adrian as she passed. Adrian stopped. Juka held her throat, thinking that Adrian may have seen her, but to her relief she just turned, looked up and down at a man and nodded, "Him."

Her first guardian had been chosen, and it was only her first time of going down the line! Juka leaned her head over, needing to see who this guy had to be to be chosen for this amazing summoner. The man stepped out of the line and Juka heard many ooos and ahhhs from the crowd as he walked down through the rows.

The man had short, messy brown hair and cold blue eyes. He wore dark blue goggles that only slightly revealed his eyes and a long blue necklace with the Yevon symbol on it. A long blue coat that reached his knees hung loosely on his shoulders and his chest was bare. His legs were covered by long, baggy black pants and dark blue boots. On his back was a large silver axe. Juka smiled at the man, he didn't seem much older than her, in fact, he could have been her age. But obviously, Adrian had seen something in him that had made her choose him almost immediately as her guardian. She flashed the "thumb's up" sign at him and he turned to face her. He smirked, slightly, and flashed the same sign. He reached the end and sat down on the stairs in the front of the room.

Juka gulped. One out of eight chosen. Juka desperately wanted to be a guardian, more than anything! She had heard how they defend summoners on their quest to defeat sin, and Juka was ready for the adventure. She smiled to herself and grasped her fists. "No need to be celebrating yet," a dark voice came from the aisles and Juka scowled to see it was Adrian, "After all, I haven't picked you...and don't get your hopes up that I will..."

Juka would have responded, but it wasn't orderly that a guardian speak to a summoner like that so she just scowled more and stood back in line. Adrian turned at the end and surveyed the other side, not really finding anyone that stood out to her. Once she turned the other side she surveyed Juka's side again. Adrian stopped in front of Juka again and Juka made an angry face, "What are you here for?" she asked, huffing.

Adrian's eye brows raised slightly but her scowl remained fixed. She didn't say anything, but just kept walking. Juka's side was once again evaluated, and Adrian moved on. Once she turned, she stopped and Juka almost saw a smile streak across her face. "Her." She pointed at a woman with black hair and green eyes. The woman nodded solemnly and walked down the aisles. Juka poked her head out to see the woman.

The woman was wearing a baggy tank-top that was colored bright red. The color matched her tight shorts and long shiny boots with black soles. Black fingerless gloves and long red earrings finished the look. Juka noticed two guns on her belt and that the woman was smiling triumphantly as she sat next to the young axe man.

Adrian continued to walk up and down the aisle...up and down, up and down. She reached Juka for the third time and Juka sighed, "Would you please move on? You won't find what you're looking for in me, I guarantee you..."

Adrian pivoted on her heel and continued down the lines. This time, she only walked for a short distance before she stopped and pointed at someone, "Him."

The young man laughed slightly, then covered his mouth. He walked out and ran down the aisles to join the other guardians. He had orange spikey hair and was wearing a matching headband. A dark orange vest and white tee shirt top decorated his torso and attached to his legs were a pair of tight orange denim pants. Orange shoes with white socks clung to his feet and a golden handle sword hung on his back. A few freckles decorated his face. He bowed to the older guardians and they nodded their heads towards him.

Adrian made another round around the group and once again stopped at Juka. Juka sighed and sat down, "Should I just leave now? Or am I here to amuse you?"

"Neither," Adrian simply said and kept walking down the lines. As she rounded the corner again, she smiled widely, "Ashnigh!" she hugged the person in the line, and Juka wondered what had come over the girl, "I'm so glad you came! I didn't think you would!"

Juka leaned out of her spot to see that the girl, or woman, was a smiling one with strawberry blonde hair and was wearing a lavender kimono skirt and white long top. White high heels decorated her feet and a lavender Yevon necklace hung tightly around her neck in a choker. Lavender hair clips were in her hair. She smiled at Adrian, "You know I wouldn't miss it for the world, sorry I was a little late."

"No problem," Adrian pointed to the other guardians, "Just join them over there."

"Thank you M'lady summoner," Ashnigh bowed and Adrian laughed.

"I've told you not to call me that," Adrian insisted as Ashnigh walked off. Adrian regained her serious composure and kept walking around the line until she once again got to Juka.

"Old friend?" Juka asked and Adrian scowled.

"None of your business," she swiveled once again and stormed down the line before she finally stopped and pointed to a man, "Go."

The man smiled and waved to the rest of the candidates as he ran down the line. Juka scowled at his cocky attitude, but maybe that was just because she was mad that there were only three spots left. The man wore a yellow shirt with a light yellow hanging top. His yellow baggy shorts and sandals convinced Juka that he was some sort of Blitzball player. A yellow and blue headband decorated his head and his hair, dark brown and curly bounced as he walked. Finally, he sat down with the other guardians and Adrian continued her survey.

She stopped in front of a girl with bouncy brown hair and glasses who was trying hard not to laugh, "What's so funny?"

The girl couldn't help herself anymore and she let all of her laughter out. "Hahahahaha!" the girl couldn't stop laughing and Adrian chuckled with her. She laughed a little too and then pointed, teary-eyed to the batch of guardians, "That way..."

The girl kept laughing as she made her way over to the group, who welcomed her warily, scared of the laughing girl.

The girl's clothes were green, a green short dress and long greens sleeves with a floppy green hat. Long green boots with black trim slid up her legs and her eyes, once she opened them were shown to be a bright brown. Her glasses had no frames.

Only two spots left, and about 45 guardians left for choosing. Adrian kept walking up and down the aisles, looking up and down, making special care to choose the right people. She stopped once more at Juka, who was drawing something in the tile. "Whaaat?" she whined and Adrian rolled her eyes and kept moving. She finally stopped in front of a young guado man decorated in an gray tank top and ripped gray pants. Black shoes decorated his feet and white arm bands decorated his arms, along with seemingly useless gray sunglasses. His spiky light brown hair stuck out at odd ends and he nodded as Adrian pointed to him. He walked down the hall and sat with the rest of the guardian troupe.

Final person. Juka gulped. She knew she wouldn't get picked, but still, she wanted to know who would take her spot. Adrian kept walking up and down the group, up and down, up and down, it must have taken her thirty minutes, walking up and down, up and down, up and down. Juka thought she would go dizzy with all of the circulation by Adrian. She sighed gruffly and stood up, ready to leave the room. Adrian made one last survey of the room, and then stopped in front of Juka.

"What?!" Juka asked her, short sword in hand, "Gonna tell me to go home?"

"Her." Adrian pointed at Juka and Juka's eyes almost shot out of her head. She looked behind her, but saw no one that Adrian could be pointing at. She turned back and pointed at herself.

"Me?" she asked.

"Yeah, you," Adrian gruffly said, "I'm not pointing at the wall, now you have ten seconds to get over there or I'll reconsider my choice."

"Ah! Yes ma'am!" Juka ran over to the group and sat down quickly. Juka brushed off her indigo tank top that went to her neck that had an elevated yellow circular. After her exposed naval was a short indigo skirt and long indigo knee socks. On her shoes were large yellow boots and yellow wrist bands decorated her wrists. Indigo fingerless gloves and an indigo high head band that laid on her dirty blonde short messy hair were slightly askew, so Juka adjusted them slightly. She smiled at the rest of the guardians and the axe man showed her the "thumb's-up" sign. She flashed it back and Adrian took the stage.

"I have chosen my guardians," she told the group, "You may all leave now." The rest of the candidates glumly walked out of the large room, leaving only the guardians and Adrian behind. She turned to face them, "Well," she started, "I believe that introductions are in order."

"Spiler Nairmen," the yellow clad man spoke up, "Guardian and Blitzer for the Kilika Beasts."

"Luna Lee," the laughing girl giggled, "Black Magic user from Bevelle..."

"Tai Toca," the red haired man nodded, "Long Sword Master of Besaid!"

"Ashnigh Imman," the lavender skirted healing smile girl waved slightly, "White Magic Mage from Bevelle as well..."

"Tiffa Carminata," the gun totting woman told them, "Expert marksmen from Kilika."

"Kevi Sora," the "thumb's up" man told them, "Axe user from the temple in Macalania..."

"Briu Guado," the Guado told them, "Spear wielder from Guadosalam."

"And you?" Adrian asked Juka and she gulped.

"Umm...Juka Sammisan," Juka smiled at the group, "Sword wielder from Djose Temple!"

"And I'm Adrian Lexington," Adrian told them, smiling ever so slightly, "Summoner from Bevelle...we start our journey at dawn, be ready."

All of the group stood up and followed Adrian to where we would be staying. In the morning, their journey would start.


	2. Black Wings

Shades of Wings (FINALLY! A title!)

Chapter 2: Black Wings

Okay people! Here's the second chapter (no cast list, took up too much room) but here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm afraid that we don't have enough rooms for everyone," Adrian spoke as the group walked through the halls of the Bevelle temple, nuns and priests bowing to Yevon. "You'll have to partner up for the rooms." Almost immediately, Adrian moved to Ashnigh. Typical, she had been stuck to her like glue since the minute they had started walking. Tiffa moved to Leena, who giggled and Briu moved over to Spiler. Kevi shrugged at Tai and of course Juka was left all alone.

"Uhh..." she raised her hand, "What about me?"

Adrian turned her head coldly, "Well, we don't have enough rooms, so you can sleep in the hall if you'd like..."

"The hall?!" Juka shivered, "But it's cold out here! I don't wanna sleep in the hall!"

"Well you can sleep in one of the boy's rooms I guess," Adrian smirked and Juka blushed.

"AS IF! FINE, I'LL SLEEP IN THE STUPID HALL!" Juka stomped off towards the aisles of rooms where she immediately sat herself down and felt the floor, seeing which spot was the softest for sleeping on.

"Adrian..." Ashnigh whispered, but Adrian ignored her.

"Get some sleep everyone," she told them and walked off towards the first room, "Tomorrow we head to the Cloister of the Fayth where I'll get my first aeon."

"Bet you can't handle it..." Juka stuck out her tongue, "Bahamut's no push-over!"

"We'll see who can "handle" it," Adrian coldly responded as she turned to knob on her door, "After all, tomorrow starts your job too..."

Juka gulped and remembered that there were fiends in the Trials that the Guardians would have to fend off... She had never fought a real fiend before, but if Miss Prissy Boots wanted her to do it, she had too...

Everyone adjourned to their separate rooms, and Juka softened her spot on the floor. She laid down, trying to use her hair as a pillow, and tried desperately to go to sleep.

* * *

"So...you're Kevi right?" Tai asked Kevi once inside their room. Kevi had already discarded his axe and thrown himself down on his bed, even with his goggles on.

"Uh huh..." he nodded in response.

"I'm Tai," Tai told him.

"I know," Kevin turned over, not facing the boy.

"That's a really big axe!" Tai rushed over to Kevi's axe and started to touch it, "Can I touch it? Thanks! Woah! How do you hold this thing anyway? It must weigh a thousand pounds or something! I wouldn't even be able to--"

A hand closed over Tai's wrist and he pulled back from the axe. "Okay kid," Kevi spoke up, "Rule one. Don't. Touch. The. Merchandise."

"Yevon, I'm sorry!" Tai gruffly threw himself inside his own bed. There was silence for a few moments, then Tai spoke again, "Hey, why did you wanna become a guardian anyway?"

"The same reason everyone else does," Kevi sighed, "To beat Sin of course. That's what the teachings of Yevon say anyway."

"Oh." Silence filled the room once again, that is until Kevi sighed to hear Tai's faint snoring. He looked around the bright room and sighed.

"I think I'm gonna take a walk."

* * *

"Hahahahahahaha!" Meanwhile, in Luna and Tiffa's room, Luna was again laughing her head off and Tiffa was having trouble comprehending why.

"What's so funny?!" she asked, "I just said, "Where's my toothpaste?!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Luna kept laughing, then finally dried her teary eyes. "Sorry..."

"You're so weird," Tiffa sighed and tucked herself into her bed, "That's why I try not to communicate with mages often."

"Hey," Luna crawled onto Tiffa's bed to Tiffa's extreme annoyance, "Why are your eyes all spirally?"

"None of your business," Tiffa sat up, trying to hide her green spiral eyes, "Now, GET OFF MY BED!"

"HAHHAAHAHA!"

"AND STOP LAUGHING!"

"Sorry!" Luna jumped up and down on the bed, "It's just they're sooo funny looking!"

"I'm TRYING to go to sleep, could you PLEASE be quiet?!"

"Okay..." Luna sat down, cross-legged on the bed, looking around the room for a minute, being absolutely silent. She started to rock on the bed, back and forth, back and forth. Then, she started to hum. "Hmm...mmm...mmm...mmm...mmm....la...la...la la la la!"

Tiffa stuffed her head under her pillow, desperately trying to drown out the noises of Luna and her singing. But Luna grew louder, "Oh, la la la la! Dum dum, dum dum, doo doo dum dum dum!" she started screaming at the top of her lungs, and Tiffa desperately searched around her bedside table for her guns, "LALALALALALA!"

"SHUT UP!" Tiffa threw herself off the bed, "WILL YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT UP?!"

"Want me to sing you sleep?!" Luna asked, teary eyed, "Hahahaha!"

"NO! GO TO SLEEP!"

"Okay," Luna threw herself into bed, almost instantly and soon her snoring filled the room. Tiffa breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally..." she closed her eyes and was about to fall asleep when...

"Loo loo luna la..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

* * *

"Hey, do you hear screaming?" Spiler asked Briu as he finished his 100th juggle with the blitzball. Briu sat on his bed, polishing his spear.

"No. Must have been your imagination," Briu insisted as he wrapped up his spear and set it against the wall.

"I guess," Spiler walked Briu put his spear away and the Blitzball dropped, "Ahh dangit."

"Hey, 110 times ain't bad," Briu pointed out.

"Well yeah, but if I'm gonna make the front lines for the Kilika Beasts then I've gotta get to at least 200."

"Blitzball eh?"

"Yeah," Spiler picked up the ball again and started to juggle once more, "The tournament is coming up soon ya know? A couple of weeks actually, we're stopping in Luca for me to see it."

"You're not going to play?" Briu asked him.

"Nah, not good enough yet, I have to work harder if I want to make the front team," he told him.

"I've always wanted to try Blitzball," Briu noted.

"Yeah, you Guado are pretty fast," Spiler nodded, almost dropping the ball, "Unlike those Ronso..."

"Heh," Briu smiled, "Well, I'm turning in."

"Hey no fair," Spiler pointed out, "I spilled my heart and soul to you, where's my confession?"

"Well," Briu thought for a second, "I am pretty weird around town, not many Guado become guardians you know."

"I know, you were the only one at the choosing."

"But Maester Seymour, he's awesome, he looks out for me and stuff," Briu smirked, "Even lets me in on some premium drink ya know!"

"Hey, aren't you a little young?"

"Nope, just turned 21, and proud of it!" he laughed, "I can drink the night away if I'd like! In fact, I'm in the mood for some right now!"

"Hey, hey, hey, don't drink just because you can," Spiler pointed out, "Drink because you need to!"

"Well I NEED to," Briu pulled out a bottle from his bag, "And anyway, this is my last one left anyway...I can stop any time I want." He quickly chugged the entire bottle. "See?" A loud hiccup escaped his lips, "No...problem..." With that, he gracefully fainted onto his pillow and his drunken snores filled the room.

"Ooo, not good to be a guardian with hangover," Spiler winced, but tucked his ball under his bed and went to sleep himself.

* * *

"Stupid Adrian...stupid floor, stupid SWORD!" Juka desperately tried to move her sword out of the way, but always it seemed to get in the way of her sleeping. Well, her anger at Adrian and the hard floor didn't help either. She shivered as another breeze went through the hall. "It's...so cold...but there is NO way I'm asking HER for a blanket!"

"Here." A blue blanket fell over Juka's head and she quickly threw it off to tell who had given it to her. She saw Kevi's goggled eyes staring back at her. "Can't have you freeze to death now can we?"

"Hey!" She scowled, "I don't need no sympathy!"

"Well I'm giving it to you," he sat down, "After all, we don't want you catching pneumonia in the morning now do we?"

"I guess not..." Juka sighed and put the blanket around her arms, "Thanks..."

"No problem."

"So...Mr. Sora..."

"Call me Kevi, I hate formalities..."

"Okay Kevi, you can call me Juka."

"Already planned on it."

"So..." Juka continued warily, "Why do you think Adrian picked you so suddenly, anyway?"

"Well..." Kevi yawned slightly, "I dunno really...I kind of have a reputation...I've been a guardian to four summoners now...all of them gave up though...half way about."

"Oh...how long have you been a guardian for, Kevi?"

"About 5 years now..."

"That's a lot..." Juka sighed, "This is just my first pilgrimage..."

"Hey...doesn't matter how much experience you have...you don't need that to hack at fiends."

"I guess not," Juka sighed.

"OH MY GOD!" Tiffa's voice came from above Juka's head as she saw her come out, pillow still on her head, "WILL SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME TRANQUILIZERS OR SOMETHNG?! I cannot shut Luna up!"

"Sorry Miss Tiffa," Juka sighed, "Tough night huh?"

"Ain't it for all of us," she sighed and sat down, "I can't believe I'm having this much trouble already, and it's only the first night..."

Kevi looked at her closely, studying her tired looking eyes. She turned and noticed he was staring at her, "What?!" she asked, taken aback, "Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to stare at a lady?!"

"It's also rude to tell fibs..." Kevi told her, "After all...you're not really from Ki--"

"I'm leaving!" she shouted, "I never asked for your comments! It's better sleeping with the singing freak then listening to you!" with that, she stormed up and slammed the door.

"Ahh, well looks like I blew that one," he sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"What fib did Miss Tiffa tell, Kevi?" Juka asked him, only to be interrupted by a voice.

"Umm...Miss Juka?" Juka looked up to see that the voice that was calling her name belonged to Ashnigh, looking at her worriedly.

"I guess that's my cue to leave," Kevi stood up, "See you in the morning ladies..." he bowed to Ashnigh and nodded to Juka who nodded back. Ashnigh sat down as Kevi walked back into his room.

"I...I want to apologize...for Adrian's behavior..." Ashnigh continued, "Since I know she won't apologize herself... She...she just doesn't like admitting that she might be wrong about something."

"It's not your place to be apologizing," Juka scowled, "It's stupid Adrian's...she really should be here apologizing, not you..."

"But she won't. You know that." Juka nodded to Ashnigh and Ashnigh sighed, "Ever since I've known her she's been like that. I'm like her big sister you see, and she's very...proud...she hasn't had a very happy past you see... I'm practically the only person who understands her..."

"I could tell...But...what happened in the past?" Juka asked and Ashnigh was silent for a few moments.

"Well..."

"Ashnigh." Juka almost screamed as a voice came from Ashnigh's door. She looked up to see that it was none other than her favorite person in the world, Adrian. "I think I remember saying that you and I were staying in the same Adrian...sorry if I woke you up," Ashnigh bowed to me and I bowed my head back. She walked into her room and Adrian gave Juka a cold look.

"I'm not deaf you know... Stupid am I? I believe that YOU'RE the stupid one here," she shut the door carefully, "Not I."

* * *

"Adrian..." Ashnigh sighed once Adrian had shut the door, "Why don't you invite Miss Juka to sleep with us?"

"Because I don't want to," she said nonchalantly and tucked herself into bed.

"Why did you choose her as a guardian?" Ashnigh asked her, as she herself started to fall asleep.

"Some questions are best left unanswered," Adrian whispered and felt her eyes drooping as she drifted into sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Juka estimated that she had gotten a grand total of twenty-five minutes of sleep. Even with Kevi's blanket, the hall was still cold and her "bed" was far from satisfactory. Briu walked around looking as though he had a migraine, and Tiffa looked in the same state as Juka. Luna looked positively chipper though as the entire group came into the room. Adrian and Ashnigh were the last to enter. Adrian turned to face the group, "Shall we go then? The Cloister of Trials is waiting..."

* * *

WOOOHOOOO! Complete Oo;;; Oh well...time to start working on Chapter 3! More complaints on Characters welcome! ;;; J/K!


	3. Green Wings

Shades of Wings: Chapter 3 Green Wings

WOOOOOHOOOO! Chapter 3! . Lots of cameo requests here and so I have, as the starving artist and author, have included all that are possible!

This time, unfortunately, there will be no cast list. More characters are being added and it takes way too long to put them in the cast list. If you've read the other stories you should know the cast lists so never fear

Okay! Now, onto the chapter!

* * *

No one knew why, but for some odd reasons, a few fiends had invaded the temple of Bevelle and its Cloisters. Of course, many Yevon soldiers had volunteered to exterminate them, as the fiends numbers were few, but summoners and their guardians had insisted on getting rid of the fiends themselves. 

Adrian, a new summoner, had no summons of her own, and was relatively weak, but Juka knew that if she brought up the sore subject, she would get a large and quick hit in the face that she would not like to welcome.

As the group walked through the city of Bevelle, Juka gave a loud yawn. "Man, am I tired..."

"Well maybe you should have asked to sleep in someone else's room," Adrian scoffed.

"WHAT?!" Juka asked, bewildered, "I thought you said I had to sleep in the hall!"

"I said, "You can sleep in the hall if you like," Adrian told her, "You could have asked to stay in one of the girls rooms...its not like we would have said no..."

"HEY! YOU SET THIS UP THE ENTIRE TIME!" Juka screamed and Adrian chuckled slightly.

"You need to learn what I say," she told her as the entered the temple, "Don't, and you can't be considered my guardian."

Juka snarled but continued walking as the entire group made their way up the long staircase to the Cloister of the Trials. "Lady Adrian," a Yevon Priest guarding the door said to her, "These fiends may be dangerous...you may wait if you like for our men..."

"I am quite all right thank you," she told him, "My guardians are here to protect me."

The Yevon priest nodded and swung open the doors to the Bevelle Temple...

* * *

"Woah!" Juka looked around, amazed at the strange place they were in. The trials were made of a lot of sliding disks along a maze of glowing chambers. It could have taken them weeks to get out of, "This place is cool! Are all the temples like this?!"

"Of course not you dimwit," Adrian sighed, "This one is only for Bevelle." Juka ignored the "Dimwit" comment as Adrian and all the other guardians gathered on the first disk that would take them to the next length of the maze.

"We should probably split up!" Juka suggested, "Cover more ground that way!"

"We might get separated," Kevi pointed out, "And in a temple maze with fiends around, that's not a good place to be separated."

Juka remained silent for a few seconds, her idea shot to the ground. The team rode on and on through the temple, no sign of fiends yet. Spiler sighed and sat down on the disk.

"Man...this is taking FOREVER!" he commented, "When are we gonna see some action?"

"Try right now!" Tiffa aimed her gun above her head and shot five times, bringing a lizard like fiend down along with a blue jelly one, "Let's get 'em!"

"Right!" Tai nodded and ran forward to face the fiends, "Who should tackle what?!"

"Tiffa, Spiler, Juka, handle the Skeith," Kevi pointed to the lizard, "Lu--"

"I'll take down that Jelly!" Juka ran forward to tackle it, "It looks weak!"

"No you idiot!" Adrian called out to her, but it was too late. Juka brought her sword down on the jelly!

But it had almost no affect. The jelly hardly looked annoyed at the slice. Juka scowled and kept hacking away, sometimes getting hit by weak water spells. But she kept hacking away. Adrian just shook her head while the rest of the guardians looked on with mild amusement, "DIE DIE DIE DIE!" Juka kept yelling to the monster, the Skeith already killed by Tiffa and Spiler, "WHY-WON'T-YOU-DIE?!" she gave a large slash, "HYAH!" and the jelly finally oozed away. "See?!" she wiped her brow, "That wasn't too hard!"

"YOU IDIOT!" Adrian stepped forward, "That was a water elemental! They're resistant to physical attacks! Luna could have killed it with a simple Thunder spell, while YOU, wanting to play hero, goes and hacks at it for twenty minutes, AND gets hurt!" she waved to Ashnigh, "Ashnigh, please cure the idiot..."

"Sure," Ashnigh smiled and muttered a small spell to cure Juka.

"Well...I killed it didn't I?" Juka asked, scowling at the summoner, "Isn't that what matters?!"

"Against a much stronger enemy, you would have been killed," Kevi told her and walked past her, "Know your enemy before you strike the first blow kid."

"Hey!" she called after him, "I'm NOT a kid!"

"Then start acting like it," his icy blue eyes laid on her and she shivered under them. He kept walking and one by one, everyone followed him, except for Tai who stayed behind.

"Don't listen to him," he smiled at Juka, "He's just being a jerk, he thinks he knows everything!"

"Thanks," Juka laughed, "You're Tai right?"

"Uh huh," he nodded.

"I'm Juka," she put out her hand to him and he shook it.

"We should probably get on ahead," he told her, "The others are leaving without us!"

"Ack, right!" she nodded and the two ran on.

* * *

More fiend battles ensued, this time Juka showed a little more common sense than before, only taking on fast enemies that she could handle. After a while, the groups kind of dispersed within themselves, Spiler still juggling his blitzball, Briu poking the ground with his spear, Ashnigh talking cheerfully to no one in particular, and Juka making sure not to speak to Adrian at all costs.

"That's a really nice necklace Ashnigh," Tiffa commented, pointing at Ashnigh's Yevon choker, "What's the symbol mean though?"

Ashnigh looked at her oddly, "Umm...it's the Yevon symbol...you didn't know?"

Tiffa's eyebrows shot up and she bit her lip, "Uhh yeah, it's just a little dark in here, couldn't tell."

"Why don't you wear one?" she asked.

"Umm...left it at home?" she laughed warily and Ashnigh giggled slightly.

"Oh, don't be afraid, I know that not everyone wears them," she told her, "But I like to show my belief in Yevon...that's all."

"My goodness this is a long tunnel," Adrian sighed, sitting down on the disc, "It could take us hours to reach the Cloister of the Fayth."

"How about we play a game in the mean-time?!" Luna suggested, hugging her black mage doll.

"A...game...?" Adrian asked, "I'd rather not..."

"Ahh it'll be fun!" Luna insisted, "Okay! I know a really fun one! It's a game called "Who is..."!"

"Sounds cool!" Juka sat down and Tai nodded, "How do you play?!"

"We all sit in a circle and get to ask people who is something to them! Like their favorite person, or their secret crush, or their parents! That way we can all learn about each other! And no lying!" Luna pulled up her doll who smiled, "Cause he'll know!"

Tiffa stood up, "I...I don't want to play..."

"Neither do I..." Ashnigh nodded.

"Too bad!" Luna smiled, and in an instant, all nine of them were glued to the ground, sitting on the floating disk, "Cause we're playing! I'm first!"

"Luna!" Adrian grunted, trying desperately to get off the floor, "I am your summoner and I DEMAND that you let me up this instant!"

"Nope, nope, not gonna!" Luna laughed and pointed to Tai, "TAI! Who is the person you're annoyed the most by?"

Tai gulped and eyed the doll lie detector, staring at him, "I...I don't wanna tell!"

"You HAVE TO!" Luna laughed.

"Luna this is cruel and unusual! Let me up this instant!" Adrian yelled once more.

"Not gonna, not gonna," she sang again and Tai gulped.

"Okay I'll tell!" he sighed and murmured, "Kevi..."

Everyone burst out laughing at that, and even Adrian and Kevi gave a small chuckle. Kevi sighed and shook his head, "Wouldn't be the first time..."

"Arggh! I didn't wanna say that!" Tai was blushing. 

"I find it all very amusing," Kevi smirked slightly.

"Okay then Kevi," Tai growled, "Who is your girlfriend?"

"PFFFFFT!" Juka had to hold her breath to keep from laughing and Kevi, if they could have seen his eyes, would have been bugging out of his head.

"Now this should be good," Tiffa giggled.

"C'mon, tell us man," Briu nudged him and Kevi blushed.

"I don't have one..." he told them and an "ahhh" of disappointment came from the crowd.

"Time for our lie detector!" Luna threw the doll from her hands and it landed in front of Kevi.

"Wha-?" he started but was interrupted by the doll jumping onto his lap and pulling his cheeks apart wide. "Rhat rhe rhell?!" The doll jumped off, walked back to Luna and nodded his head.

"Ahh," she sighed, "He's telling the truth...and this would have been juicy...your turn Kevi!"

"Fine..." he rubbed his raw cheeks, "Hey Ashnigh, whose YOUR boyfriend?"

Adrian's eyes widened slightly and she turned to Ashnigh, "Ashnigh..."

But Ashnigh simply smiled peacefully and said, "I had one, but we broke up a long time ago...you know, people change."

"LIE DETECTOR TIME!" Luna smiled and the door once again hobbled over to Ashnigh and pulled her cheeks. Ashnigh didn't seem half as annoyed as Kevi and the doll gave a solemn nod as it let go. "Well, another one is single unfortunately...your turn Ashnigh..."

"Hey Tiffa," she smiled to Tiffa who seemed to be sweating heavily, "Who are your parents?" Tiffa froze, looking at the ground, not making eye contact, "You never talk about yourself..."

"Umm...umm..." Tiffa stammered for a second and Kevi stared her down.

"Why don't you tell us?" he asked, "I'm sure Adrian would love to know..."

"Kevi what are you getting at?" Spiler asked him, but he didn't answer.

"Umm...err...they..."

"RAARR!" a lupine wolf dropped from overhead and Luna quickly broke the spell to fight it.

"Juka!" Kevi called, "You're the fastest with a sword, get it! Tiffa, cover follow up attack!"

"Right," they both nodded and Juka ran forward, chopping the beast down. Tiffa aimed her guns and fired a couple rounds until the Lupine was dead. The disk stopped and Adrian looked up to see the stairs that led to the Cloister of the Fayth.

"We've made it..." she whispered and the group quickly hopped off.

"Adrian..." Ashnigh bowed to her, "Good luck..."

"I don't need luck Ashnigh," Adrian told her, "I need skill..."

"Of course..." Ashnigh sighed, "We'll wait here..."

Adrian entered the Cloister of the Fayth and the Guardians sat down to wait while their summoner prayed.

"Think any fiends are down here too?" Briu asked, remaining at attention.

"I don't think so..." Tai told him, "The Fayth are driving them away..."

"Although..." Ashnigh's eyes narrowed toward the entrance from where they had come, "The term "fiend" is relative..."

"Such harsh words from an old friend?" a voice came from the shadows, "Really Ashnigh, I thought you had more manners than that..."

"Whose there?!" Juka asked, drawing her sword.

"Just little old me," the voice emerged from the darkness and turned out to belong to a girl with long black hair in three pony-tails. She wore a short purple dress with a longer violet skirt underneath. Long violet gloves slid up her arms and the dress had no sleeves. She wore a violet amethyst circlet and violet high heels. A smirk decorated her face and behind her, two women came out.

The first was wearing a long Turquoise Tunic and a turquoise headband in her long brown hair. On her legs were a pair of white billowing pants and on her feet were turquoise slippers. Her arms were decorated in turquoise arms bands and white rings.

The other woman wore a pink short top with no sleeves or straps that exposed the navel. A short pink skirt and long pink boots were decorating the lower part of her body along with pink fingerless gloves and long pink bangles that reached the floor. Through her short black hair were pink beads and a pink Yevon choker grasped her neck.

"Praika," Ashnigh sighed, "If you have no business here please leave."

"But I have business here," Praika, the woman in violet spoke, "I happen to be getting my very first aeon, just like dear old Adrian here...I let her get here five minutes before me so she could get a head start on her pilgrimage, she'll need it."

"No she won't!" Juka spoke up, "Adrian'll beat Sin way before you do!"

"One, two..." Praika counted, "Eight of you are there? Tsk tsk tsk, how many. I only require two guardians, Michiku and Zarai here." She gestured towards the woman in turquoise, now known to be Michiku and the woman in pink, now known to be Zarai.

"Hey!" Tiffa snarled, "The more the merrier..."

"And guns...?" Praika sighed, "Forbidden Machina I see...Adrian must be blind..."

"These are...guns approved by the Maesters," Tiffa explained a little shakily.

The next moment, Adrian immersed from the room, looking fine, although a bit exhausted. She smiled slightly, "Bahamut is mine...I'm officially a summoner..."

Ashnigh ran up and hugged the girl and helped her down the stairs. Juka smirked in Praika's direction. Praika sneered and stormed past Adrian, "Beginner's luck..."

"You're a beginner too," Adrian snarled.

"This'll just be like all our other contests," Praika told her, "With me coming out on top."

"I didn't know you did come out on top in all our other contests," Adrian yelled back at her.

"Yevon..." Juka sighed, "I didn't think there was anyone in the world who Adrian hated more than me...but I have been proved wrong."

"She and Praika have been rivals ever since they were young," Ashnigh explained, "Always trying to beat each other..."

"And this'll turn out the same way," Praika insisted, "I'll come out on top and beat Sin! I'll become High Summoner way before you do!" With that, she stormed into the prayer room. Michiku nodded to the guardians.

"Sorry," she sighed, "Praika can be like that some times..."

"Understandable," Kevi told her.

"Yeah...even if she is a pain in the neck sometimes," Spiler sighed, "She's so arrogant, trying to beat Sin before Adrian."

"Lady Praika..." Ashnigh whispered, "Is a very noble person..."

"Noble?!" Juka asked, astounded, "If SHE'S noble, I'd hate to see evil..."

"We'll look after her," Zarai told them, "We've been her friends since child-hood. Don't worry."

"Hey, maybe we'll even run into each other along the way," Michiku smiled faintly.

"Sure!" Tai nodded.

"Shall we get going?" Briu asked, "Adrian's celebration should be starting soon."

* * *

Adrian gave a long and boring speech to the people of Bevelle, telling how privileged she was and how she would defeat Sin for the good of the people. Juka thought she was going to fall asleep, but thought better of it. She still remembered Kevi's words...

"_I'm NOT a kid!"_

_"Then start acting like it,"_

She wasn't a kid...and she had to prove it to the rest of the guardians. But as Adrian finished her speech and each of her guardians walked down the bridge of Bevelle, Juka wasn't so sure if she was ready for this or not.

Maybe she really was just a kid...

* * *

Hey hey hey R&R! I've NEVER updated this fast! . Oh well, have fun!


	4. White Wings

Shades of Wings:

Chapter 4: White Wings

Sorry it took so long folks, but Chapter 4 IS here!

Everyone: ABOUT TIME!

Okay then! Here we are with the fourth chapter, full of action and surprises! Enjoy!

* * *

"Wow!" Juka laughed as the group entered the bright blue forest of Macalania. Tress around them shined brightly and the crystal like shrubs and plants made a jingling sound as they passed, "This is amazing!"

"The temple should be this way," Adrian walked down the path of trees, the guardians following her.

"Why are we in such a hurry?" Juka asked.

"I agree," Tai nodded, "We've been busy all day, don't you think you should rest?" Adrian shot him a cold look, "You're probably exhausted."

"I'm fine!" Adrian insisted.

"Stubbornness never got any summoner anywhere," Kevi sighed and walked into a clearing, "We rest for the night."

"Bu--" Adrian started but Ashnigh put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. Adrian sighed reluctantly, but nodded and the group walked into the clearing of Kevi's choosing.

* * *

"Ooooo!" Juka smiled and ran over to the large lake that sat shining in the middle of the open space. Its glossy waters gleamed and reflected the gigantic tree in the middle of the pond. Stars overhead were mirrored in its shiny surface. "Pretty!" She took off her shoes and knee socks and stuck her feet in the water. "It feels nice too! Hey if we had bathing suits we could go swim--" She turned around to see that all the other guardians were sitting solemnly against tree trunks and she quickly took her feet out of the water and put on a mature air. "Of course we haven't the time for such frivolous matters as swimming."

"You know," Kevi eyed her, "Pretending to be grown-up doesn't make you so."

"Hey, lay off!" Tai snapped, "So what if she's having fun!" His voice became barely a whisper, "A talent that some people here don't possess."

Kevi didn't say anything in return, perhaps because he hadn't heard Tai or he just didn't care. Luna's loud snores broke the awkward and tense silence and Tiffa smiled.

"Let's turn in," she told them, "It's pretty late."

"Uh huh," Spiler nodded.

"I'll stand guard!" Juka stood up, waving her sword around to show the fierceness that she would exhibit to any fiends that crossed their path.

"Not alone you won't," Tiffa told her, "There may be fiends that you can't handle alone," she nodded her head to Briu, "Stand guard with her for a few shifts."

"Okay," He nodded and stood up, "I'll wake you and Spiler up in a couple of hours."

Everyone soon settled down and the rhythmic breathing of the group showed Juka and Briu that they had all fallen asleep. Juka held her sword at the ready for a few minutes, Briu sitting near the lake, looking at her with mild amusement. Juka then, seeing that no fiends were coming any time soon and she was just wasting her breath, sat down next to him. "Hey Briu...?" she asked the Guado man and he turned his head.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any cool powers?" she asked him, "Like flying or something weird like that?"

"I'm not an alien," he sighed, looking at her with eyebrows raised, "But I do have one. He touched her shoulder lightly, and she almost recoiled before he muttered, "Copy Image." In a second, Juka could have been looking in a mirror. The other Juka, smiling widely took her – she meant his hand off her shoulder and a couple seconds later turned back into Briu. "Fun huh?"

"NO!" Juka blushed, "MORE LIKE CREEPY!"

"It only lasts for a minute or two if I concentrate hard enough," Briu nodded, "But still quite useful. I even inherit the traits of my copy."

"I guess that's cool," Juka sighed, still eyeing him accusingly, "But still creepy!"

"I can't wait to try it out on a fiend!" he smiled, "Too cool!"

"Hey...think that we'll run into any fiends down here?" Juka asked.

"Perhaps," Briu sighed, "There's really no way to tell unless we run into one."

"I guess..." Juka sighed heavily, lightly scratching her head, "But it just seems like this place is too serene for fiends..."

"Think again, DUCK!" Briu threw Juka to the ground as a stream of fire passed over their heads. Juka looked up to see a floating gelatin-like structure with a seed implanted in the middle of it. It had no eyes, but a feeling of menace came from the monster all the same...

"What is that?!" Juka asked, eyes wide at the glowing structure.

"Dunno..." Briu scowled, "I'll hold it off, wake up the others!"

"R-right!" Juka nodded and sprinted toward the sleeping forms of her companions. She seriously considered letting Adrian fry in the monster's flames but thought better of it. "Guys! Wake up, we're being attacked!"

"Wha--?" Tiffa woke up with a groggy start, "Five more minutes please..."

"If you wanna be barbecue then sure!" Juka screamed as the group finally woke themselves and saw the creature.

"Uh...Kevi?' Spiler asked his goggle-eyed companion, "Status Report?"

"I...I don't know how to attack it," Kevi admitted, "I've never seen that kind of fiend before."

"Great!" Tai rolled his eyes, "Then how are we supposed to beat it?"

"Trial and Error!" Juka yelled and ran to the creature, sword unsheathed and gave the monster a slice! Again, like the jelly before, it had almost no effect.

"Resistant to Physical attacks," Briu sighed, scorched after battling the monster while Juka was acting as a human alarm clock. "And it uses Fire..." he thought for a second, "Luna! Cast Blizzard!"

"Coming right up!" Luna laughed and cast the spell with the help of her doll, "BLIZZARD!"

The Jelly thing winced as the spell did major damage! "Do it again!" Juka yelled but then noticed the jelly changing colors rapidly, then returning to normal blue, "What was that...?"

"Blizzard!" Luna yelled once more.

"No, stop!" Juka called, but it was too late! The spell had been cast and the monster came larger and gained power! The spell had healed it, "Oh crud..."

"It changed elements!" Briu called and the monster fired a few ice spikes in Luna's direction.

"Eeeks!" she tried to cover her head but heard a crash and breaking of ice as the spikes shattered against the broad side of Kevi's axe.

"Damn," he spat, "It changes elements after each attack." He winced slightly, "Every attack is a gamble."

"Not necessarily!" Briu pointed out, "I've got a plan!"

"You..." Juka looked at him, eyes wide, "You can't be serious, it's too dangerous!"

"But it's the only way," Briu told her.

"What's the only way?" Tiffa asked him.

"No time," Briu sighed, "You'll see!" He turned his spear toward the form and ran with all his might! "ARGGH!" he screamed, and, hand outstretched, stuck his hand straight into the monster!

"Eww!" Luna yelled, "THAT'S GROSS!"

"GET OUT OF THERE YOU IDIOT!" Kevi screamed to him.

"It feels...disgusting..." Briu winced, but closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, "COPY IMAGE!" Like the last time, in a moment, Briu became the floating gelatin, in miniature, everything right down to the sickly blue color. "It's Blizzard right now!" his voice came from the smaller gel, everyone looking at him with utter disgust. "Use fire!"

"Dude...are you going to STAY like that?" Spiler asked him.

"OF COURSE NOT YOU DIMWIT, NOW ATTACK!"

"Oh right!" Spiler nodded then turned to Luna, "Cast fire on my blitzball!"

"Okey-dokey!" Luna nodded and prepared the spell, aimed at the ball, "FIRE!" The blitzball became engulfed in flames and Spiler kicked the ball toward the gelatin form. It was driven back, major damage being done.

"Score!" he laughed as the blitzball came back to him, not on fire anymore. Again, the gelatin flashed colors, as did Briu. He paused for a few seconds, then spoke.

"It's Thunder! Trust me!" he told them, "Guys! We need a powerful spell! There's no way I can keep this up for more than a minute more! After that I'll be completely out of energy! We've got to finish it off with the next blow!"

"But how?" Tai asked, "We don't have a spell that can do that!"

"But Bahamut does!" Ashnigh told them, "Adrian," she nodded to her companion, "Have Bahamut cast Waterga."

"But that's the highest level magic!" Adrian insisted, "There's no way that I could do that yet! It's impossible, I can't do it!"

"WE'RE NOT HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU CAN OR CAN'T DO!" Juka screamed to her, and Adrian's eyebrows raised in confusion and shock, "We're asking you to use that spell! Summon Bahamut now!"

Adrian scowled, "If it doesn't work, we'll all be killed!"

"That means if it does work then we won't be killed." Adrian's eyes shot up and she looked at Juka with an expression of utter befuddlement. Juka smiled at her with a large grin, "That's a chance I'm willing to take."

Adrian paused for a second, then nodded. "Step back everyone," she told them, "I'm going to summon Bahamut."

Everyone stepped back and Adrian stepped into the middle of the clearing, raising her black and white ivory and ebony staff above her head. She twirled it decoratively, as if in a dance and kicked in the air. The twirling of the wand mesmerized the guardians, in awe of the concentration it took for her to keep this up. Finally, a blue and gold symbol appeared underneath her on the ground, and out of the sky landed...Bahamut. The giant black titan, decorated with a rainbow colored breastplate of feathers and large wings with the symbol of the Fayth floating on its back. A large black beak-like nose protruded from its face and claws in its muscular arms and legs would intimidate anyone who dared cross his path.

"BAHAMUT!" Adrian focused her power as the blue energy gathered in her wand. She winced, as if in pain by the amount of concentration she had to endure. "CAST WATERGA!"

Bahamut paused, then, raised his claws, gathered energy, and FIRED! "WATERGA!" Adrian screamed and the spell fired from Bahamut!

The gel writhed and fidgeted, as if having a small seizure and in a moment, it melted into a blue blob that evaporated before their eyes. Bahamut turned to Adrian, and Adrian bowed. Bahamut gave a small bow to her, and flew back up into the sky and into Adrian's wand. "You did it!" Ashnigh laughed and hugged the exhausted looking Adrian, "You really did it!"

"Ye-yeah...I did..." she turned to Juka and laughed, "Eat...that!" With that, she fainted into Ashnigh's embracing arms.

The smaller gelatin form quickly formed itself back into the usual Briu, and Briu felt himself over, making sure he wasn't slimey.

"Well...we should probably leave before more of his kind show up," Kevi told them and started to walk out of the clearing.

"Hey!" Tai called after him, "Don't try to act as though you won this battle! We didn't need you!"

"No..." Kevi laughed and turned to face them, "You didn't." Kevi continued walking out of the clearing, Tai looking slightly annoyed that he couldn't provoke the ice cold warrior. But all he did was follow him, as did the rest of the guardians, Ashnigh carrying Adrian on her back.

* * *

"We can sleep here!" Luna pointed to an ice wall and the group looked at her oddly.

"But...that's sealed up," Tiffa told her, "We can't go in--"

"FIRE!" the wall quickly melted and Luna walked on into the clearing. "Ooo look! It's mossy and cool!"

The group shrugged and walked on in to gasp at the beauty of the place they found themselves in. It had a giant tree in the middle of a shallow lake that was led up to by a mossy and icy path that seemed to float on water. As they followed Luna into the area they saw her bending down, looking at something on the ground. "Look!" she smiled, holding up a blue video sphere, "It's a Sphere! Let's watch it!"

"Should we?" Juka asked, "It may not be our business...something about this place too..."

"I don't know..." Tiffa sighed, "I wanna get out of here as soon as possible."

"WATCH OUT!" Spiler grabbed Tiffa and Juka's shoulders and as a blast of water blasted between the group. They looked up...and gasped. It was the same gelatin-thing from before, and it was back for some more action.

"What's it doing here?!" Briu yelled, "I thought we beat it!"

"There's no way we can beat it again, RUN!" Tiffa yelled, "I'll hold it off!"

"No way, you'll be killed!" Ashnigh insisted.

"What else is there to do?!" Tiffa asked her, "GO NOW!"

"CHAAAAAAAARGE!" In a blinding flash of light, the gelatin had dissolved into the air. When the guardians refocused their vision and collected their thoughts, they saw two Red Orange figures standing with one very small red orange figure.

"Mission accomplished!" one figure slapped hands with the other, the two were now seen to be young ladies dressed in short sleeved red orange billowing shirts, fingerless gloves and long knee shorts. Tall boots and backwards caps completed their look along with nametags that read "Official Yevon Attack Dog Trainers". The dog, a dog with pointy ears and a blackish brown coat wore a red orange back-cloth that had the Yevon Symbol implanted on it. The first woman, the one who had spoke had blonde hair and freckles, the other dark brown hair in a pony-tail and creamy brown eyes. "We have saved another set of travelers with Tala here!"

"Good Tala," the other woman, the one with brown hair patted the dog, who lapped up some water.

"But...how could that dog have defeated that gel so easily?" Ashnigh asked.

"Well...ahem..." the blonde woman looked away slightly, "That gel was a much weaker one then the usual ones..." The guardians eyed her accusingly, "WHAT?!" she bent down and scratched the dog's ears. "She's a new recruit..."

"Yeah, you could at least thank us for saving your butts!" the other woman nodded, "We ain't getting paid for helping you out you know!"

"Who...who are you?" Tiffa finally asked, and the two woman struck a pose with their dog companion.

"Karolynin!" the woman with blonde hair spoke.

"And Leindsaya!" the other woman told them.

"And this is Tala!" they said together, hugging their dog, "We're professional Yevon attack dog trainers!"

"We were on our way to the Calm Lands when we ran into you!" Leindsaya said to them, "Good thing we were around! Your summoner looks blitzed out of her mind!"

"SHE ISN'T DRUNK!" they all yelled at once, making the two fall back from shock.

"She just performed a very high level spell," Ashnigh explained.

"Ahh, that's cool," Karolynin nodded, "I guess! Well, we must run! But we hope to see you along the way!"

"See you!" Leindsaya waved and the group, including cute ol' Tala walked out of the clearing.

"We should leave too," Kevi nodded, "Who knows what'll show up here? Adrian can sleep at Macalania temple. It's not far from here."

"I suppose," Ashnigh nodded and one by one, they filed out of the clearing. Luna was the last one to get up, still looking at the sphere. "Luna!"

"Coming!" she called to them and looked above her. Floating above her capped head was another gelatin-like monster, this one much more powerful then the last. But she just smiled at it, and it did not attack. She took the sphere that she had found on the ground and threw it up towards the creature, which immediately formed itself to grab it and suck it inside itself. "Give that to whom it belongs to, okay?" she asked and the creature wiggled slightly. She waved and ran out of the clearing, "See ya!" But before she left, she turned around, focused on the wall that she had melted and muttered, "Blizzaga!" The wall closed up as it had before and she nodded at her work, "Things that are broken must be fixed," she laughed to her doll and ran to catch up with the others.

* * *

OOOOO suspense, NEW CHARACTERS AND MUCH MUCH MUCH MORE! . I hope you all liked this chapter!


	5. Red Wings

Shades of Wings:  
Chapter 5: Blue Wings

Hey hey hey! Hello and thank you for the nice reviews once again! I hope you all enjoy these next two chapter (posted at the same time) Enjoy, enjoy!

* * *

"We rest here," Kevi pointed to an Al Bhed travel agency in the snowy plains that led to Macalania. Adrian, still asleep on Ashnigh's back gave a small grumble and a giggle escaped Luna's lips. Ashnigh looked worriedly at the ice cold guardian.  
  
"Umm...Mr. Sora?" she asked, "This is an Al Bhed travel agency...the Al Bhed are well..."  
  
"Against Yevon?" Kevi asked, "Yeah I know, but it'll take a while to get to Macalania and right now, with Adrian as she is and the rest of us pretty beat up, this is best plan for now."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Well, if you're really so against it, you can freeze to death," Kevi threw open the doors, "But I myself plan to take a rest."  
  
Ashnigh sighed, defeated as one by one the guardians piled into the travel agency. She was the last one to take the step into the warm comforting building with a smiling blonde Al Bhed behind the desk.  
  
"Welcome to Rin's Travel Agency!" she smiled at them, "You'll be needing rooms?"  
  
"Two rooms," Kevi told her, "With four beds in one, five in another please." He chuckled slightly, "Don't want to relive last time do we, kid?"  
  
"I told you, I'm NOT a kid!" Juka insisted, making a face behind Kevi's back.  
  
"Whatever," Kevi told her, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Yes sir," the Al Bhed attendant bowed and led them to the back of the agency where two rooms were waiting for them, "Here you are. These rooms will be 1000 gil."  
  
Ashnigh fumbled in her skirt for the coins and gracefully placed them in the woman's hand. She made sure that her fingers did not touch the palm of the Al Bhed and quickly her hand retracted. "Thank you, please enjoy your stay." She bowed and quickly walked out of the room.  
  
"See you guys in the morning then," Kevi nodded and walked into the room containing four beds, "Make sure Adrian gets a good night's rest."  
  
Juka nodded and the two genders filed into their adjacent rooms.

* * *

"You know Ashnigh," Tiffa eyed Ashnigh angrily as they shut the door, "Al Bhed aren't poisonous...you can at least touch them..."  
  
"They defy Yevon!" she told her, "It's my choice to be this way toward them!"  
  
"They have nothing against Yevon!" Tiffa told her, "Just because they build machina!"

"Forbidden Machina!" Ashnigh pointed out, "I thought that you, of all people, a guardian, would understand!"

"LIKE HELL I UNDERSTAND!" Tiffa yelled and pulled out her guns. She threw them at Ashnigh's feet and pointed at them. "YOU SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THE MAESTERS WOULD APPROVE THOSE?! DO YOU?!" She spat at Ashnigh's high heeled feet, "THOSE ARE YOUR FORBIDDEN MACHINA!"

"I forgive you..." Ashnigh gave the Yevon prayer to Tiffa.

"DON'T FORGIVE ME YOU--"

"Tiffa!" Juka grabbed Tiffa's shirt and held the gun wielding girl back from chopping off the calm Yevonite's head. "Let's not talk about this right now! Adrian needs to rest!"

Tiffa kept her eyes focused on Ashnigh's and then she sighed, "Juka, can I speak to you outside for a moment?"

"Sure," Juka nodded and walked outside with Tiffa.

"Juka?" Tiffa asked, "Do you have an extra sword or something I could use besides my guns?"

"Wha--?" Juka asked, slightly confused by the question. "No...umm...I don't. Why?"

"I need to find a weapon that's not forbidden," Tiffa sighed, "Or Ashnigh and I will be at each other's throats for the entire pilgramige. Adrian doesn't need that."

"Well..." Juka thought, "Maybe the owner has something she can sell us!"

"Yeah! That's a great idea, let's ask!" Tiffa nodded and she and Juka walked down the hall and up to the Al Bhed owner.

"Excuse us?" Juka asked.

"Yes?" she smiled faintly.

"Do you have any weapons for sale?"

"Why yes," the woman smiled and brought out a large ivory white case and opened it. Giant swords, guns, maces, and other weapons lined the case and Tiffa laughed slightly at everything in it.

"Look at all this Tiffa!" Juka told her, picking up the heavy mace, "You can pick any weapons here! How about this one?!" she tried to hold it, but it instead fell hard on the ground. "EEKS! It's heavy! Sorry about that!"

"That's okay," the Al Bhed woman laughed and helped Juka picked it up with the greatest of ease and put it back in the case. "Miss, why are you looking for a new weapon when you already have those handsome Al Bhed guns?" the woman asked, pointing to Tiffa's belt guns.

"Al Bhed guns...?" Juka asked and Tiffa started to sweat.

"Umm...the mace is too heavy Juka," Tiffa told her, "These...these are better." Tiffa pulled out a pair of twin boomerang knives. "I'll take these."

"Yes, a very nice choice," the Al Bhed woman nodded, "But ma'am, why are you buying a new weapon?"

"Because not everyone agrees with my weapons..." Tiffa sighed.

"Oh, you have some Yevon followers with you?" the Al Bhed woman laughed slightly, "I understand. But still," she put her hand on Tiffa's, "In the end, it's your own decision. You protect your summoner as you see fit. Molding yourself...to please others...will never do you good."

Tiffa's eyes widened and she studied the Al Bhed woman who just peacefully smiled. "How...how did...you know...?"

"Know what?"

"WHEEEE! We're in a hotel!" Luna came cart wheeling into the room, laughing and giggling to break the silence and interrupt the tension.

"You should probably get to sleep," the woman smiled.

"Yeah...let's..." Tiffa nodded to them and the three girls walked briskly back to their room.

When they arrived Ashnigh and Adrian were already asleep. Tiffa gave a relieved sigh and tucked the knives and her guns under her bed. "I'm going to hit the hay, see you guys..."

"G'night," Juka yawned and crawled into bed as well, "G'night Luna..."

"Nighty night!" Luna jumped on her bed as the rest of the girls drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Ahhh man am I tired..." Spiler threw himself on top of one of the beds, blitzball tucked underneath it, "That battle sucked with a capital S!"

"I think I need a shower," Briu commented, wiping some imaginary slime off his arms, "I still feel like that thing..."

"Too bad they don't have any," Kevi muttered and Tai once again shot him his, "Grr I hate you" look.

"Hey Kevi?" Spiler asked the axe wielding warrior.

"Uh huh?"

"You said you were from Macalania right?"

"Uh huh."

"So...do your parents live there?"

Kevi's eyes shot open and he sat up in bed, panting and sweating.

"Uhh...dude?" Spiler asked, "You okay?"

"Uhh...uhh..." Kevi stuttered for a couple seconds, "Can...I...Umm...what I mean is, I think I should go to the Temple first, clear the fiends out of our path, then you guys and Adrian can follow."

"That seems pretty dangerous," Briu pointed out, "I can go with you."

"No, no, I'm going alone," Kevi told them, "It's really no big deal..."

* * *

That morning, when Adrian and the other woke up, Kevi was already gone. Spiler recounted the night before to them and Adrian sighed, annoyed, "That idiot! With the amount of experience he has he should KNOW not to go off alone!"

"He might get lost," Briu pointed out. "We should probably follow him!"

"Yes, yes we should," Ashnigh nodded, and then added under her breath, "The sooner we get out of here the better."

Tiffa once again shot Ashnigh an angry look but Juka noticed her fingering the throwing knives she had bought in her small bag.

"Let's go," Adrian sighed as they walked out. The Al Bhed woman bowed to each of them as they walked out, and Tiffa was the last one to leave. The Al Bhed woman did not bow to her, she just smiled.

"What?" Tiffa asked her with an icy voice.

"Matthias misses you," the woman told her, "He told me himself, although he's much too proud to admit it."

Tiffa bit her lip, "I'm not going back. You know that..."

"I know it better than anyone," the woman nodded, "But Tiffa..." she stopped Tiffa just as she was walking out, "Cid...he regrets his actions... And so does everyone else. You can come home..."

"You can tell me to go home," Tiffa told her, opening the doors of the agency to head out, "But one who does not know where they are going can only get lost..."

With that, she closed the doors and followed the rest of the guardians out into the icy tundra of Macalania.

* * *

FINISHED! . Kinda short, but I hope you all like it! What happened to Kevi? OO Why did he want to go alone?! Who knows!

Readers: And I don't want to know (destroys fic)

Ahhh crap...oh well, enjoy!


	6. Blue Wings

Shades of Wings

Chapter 6: Blue Wings

THAT'S RIGHT! LET THE SUPER WEIRDNESS BEGIN! . I've gotten a lot of reviews on the net, including one that said, "The Luna girl is so cool...I wish I was like her...I envy her." Oo;;; THAT surprised me all right. But then again there was the person who wrote, "I Like Kevi."

Just watch, in a couple of days people will have pen-names such as:

JukaWorshiper22

Kevilover63

Adrianhater000

LunaLeeEnvior785

OKAY, ENOUGH OF THAT CRAP! ONTO THE CHAPTER!

OKAYYYY! NOW FOR THE CHAPTER!

Tai: Good, because if you didn't update soon, I would have been forced to stalk you.

Me: Oo;;;;

* * *

As the group made their way out of the Al Bhed Travel agency and back onto the icy road, Juka noticed the large frozen over lake in the middle of the tundra. "Looks scary..." she shivered in her inappropriate attire.

"Be careful everyone," Tiffa warned as she led the group across the ice.

"Yeah!" Juka nodded, "That ice might break and then we'll all freeze to death!"

"That lake is frozen over all year," Ashnigh commented, "It's not going to break."

"Don't you know anything?" Adrian sighed, making Juka only more angry at the black-clad summoner.

"Luna...I'll give you 500 gil if you make a hole in the ice below Adrian's feet..." she whispered.

"Wha--?" she asked, clearing out her ears.

"Nuttin." Juka plastered a sour expression on her face as the group continued to trudge across the icy lake.

The cold was fierce and it was snowing like all get out as the group made their way around icy cliffs and snowy mountains. The ice chilled their skin and for those wearing attire not at all fit for the cold (Juka, Tiffa, and Briu in particular) the weather seemed almost unbearable.

"Are we almost there?!" Juka whined. They had been walking for almost three hours now, with no sign of the temple, or Kevi in sight.

"We should be..." Ashnigh sighed, "It's been so long since I've been here."

"If we had Kevi with us, we wouldn't be lost right now..." Spiler pointed out, "He knows his way around here."

"Yeah, I hope he's okay," Briu nodded, "This terrain isn't forgiving for those who stray away."

"He's got to be okay! He's just gotta!" Juka insisted.

"If only he were here..." Tiffa shook her head.

"I know, we need hi--" Briu started, but was cut off by a booming voice from the icy tunnel.

"WILL YOU GUYS JUST SHUT UP?!" the group swiveled around to see that it was an enraged Tai speaking. "WILL YOU GUYS JUST SHUT THE HELL UP?! KEVI THIS, KEVI THAT! IN MY OPINION HE CAN FREEZE TO DEATH OUT HERE!"

"Tai!" Adrian snapped.

"HE TREATS JUKA LIKE CRUD!" Tai insisted, "AND ACTS LIKE HE'S BETTER THAN THE REST OF US!" He cursed Kevi under his breath, "We DON'T need him... Just because he's experienced doesn't mean he's our leader!" 

"Tai!" Adrian said again, "I did not choose Kevi because of his experience..." Juka's eyes lit up.

_She...she didn't?_

"But I did choose you because I thought you would be a bright asset to the team," she continued to speak, "Don't prove me wrong."

"But--" Tai spoke, but it was his turn to be cut off, this time by a large roar.

"YARRR!"

"It's coming from around this corner!" Spiler told them, "It might be Kevi!" Ashnigh and the group nodded and ran around the corner of the tunnel, Tai straggling behind. When they rounded the corner, they gasped at the sight in front of them.

Kevi was a bad enough sight himself, blood dripping from his head, clotting in his bangs, his eye battered and bloody; half closed from exhaustion. His axe was drawn, dripping blood of the creature in front of him. His chest looked like it had broken ribs and he panted from exhaustion. "Kevi!" Tiffa yelled and the group ran to his side.

"What happened?!" Juka asked him, grabbing his shoulder.

"OW!" he screamed and Juka quickly released her grip, "Ow...dammit...I was on my way to the temple when this thing ambushed me..." 

"What thing?" Tai asked, running up, trying hard not to look smug at Kevi's condition.

"That...thing..." Spiler pointed a shaking finger in front of himself, and the team turned their heads in awe.

The monster was huge, at least eight feet tall and burly to boot. Blood decorated its fists, covered in white and grey fur. Fangs, dripping with Kevi's blood hung from its mouth and its feet were webbed, a large fish tail, also covered in the gray fur grew on it. Its eyes were black and beady, squinting around for any sign of its prey. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Tiffa made a reach for her guns, then saw Ashnigh out of the corner of her eye. She paused, her hand shaking, and she instead dug her hand into her bag to reach for the throwing knives.

"The thing that put me in this condition," Kevi spat a lump of blood from his mouth onto the icy floor, "I've weakened it...but watch out...it's tough..."

"You got it! We'll take care of this, you rest!" Juka pulled her sword and faced the monster, "Come at me you genetic freak of nature!"

It seems that insult got the monster's attention and it turned to Juka. "Ack!" she held her sword at the ready as the monster's fist came lunging down on her. "Eeeks!" she held out her sword, but there was no way that the small sharp piece of metal could deflect the monster's fists! She braced herself for the impact...

"PROTECT!" The monster's fist deflected off of a blue barrier that appeared in front of Juka and she hastily opened her eyes to see the shield disappear. She noticed the spell as White Magic and turned to Ashnigh.

"Thanks!" she laughed.

"It...it wasn't me..." Ashnigh shook her head.

"Then...then who did do it?" she swiveled her head around at the guardians, each one shaking their head, Kevi spitting out more blood. Juka took that as a no and turned to the last person in the group...Adrian. "You didn't..."

"I DO have some White and Black Magic on my side thank you very much," she huffed, "I'm not completely useless without my summons."

"But...why?" Juka asked her.

"I can't have you dieing on me, can I?" Adrian sighed, "I don't want casualties so early in the pilgrimage."

"I....gu--"

"JUKA WATCH OUT!" Tai yelled and Juka turned just in time to be hit with the swinging tail of the monster. She was knocked to the ground against a block of ice full force!

"Juka!" Ashnigh ran to her side as Juka felt herself fading out.

_Am...am I going to die...? Just like this...? _Juka mused to herself as the pain increased.

"Wait! I'll heal you!" Ashnigh insisted.

_Mom...Dad..._

"_Juka! Juka will you stop swinging that stick around? You're going to hurt someone!"_

"_But Mom! I have to practice if I want to become a guardian like you and Daddy!"_

"_Oh you do, do you?"_

"_Of course!"_

"_Who is your summoner going to be?"_

"_Lord Braska! He's the best!"_

"_He may be too old for you honey...he's starting his pilgrimage today."_

"_Today?! But-but that's means...that he already chose his guardians!" _

"_Oh honey...don't cry. There will be more summoners..."_

"_But after Lord Braska defeats Sin, won't it go away? I mean, he's so good at summoning! Won't we finally have an eternal Calm? Won't we ever have an eternal Calm?"_

"..."

"_Mommy?"_

"CURE!" Juka felt her wounds heal as the spell came over her, washing away the blood from her head and arms.

"I'm...I'm alive..." she whispered, sitting up.

"Of course you are!" Adrian spat, "And now that you are, help us fight this thing!"

Juka looked up to see Spiler and Briu wailing on the monster, Spiler easily dodging the monster's attacks. "Eat this!" he yelled and landed a hit straight in the face. "Oh yeah! Too bad you can't do anything about it!" The monster growled and opened its mouth. "What's it doing?" A large light started to form in its mouth, growing, steadily growing and growing.

"SPILER YOU IDIOT, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Kevi yelled, "HE'S GOING TO UNLEASH AN ENERGY BLAST!"

"Wha--?" Spiler asked. "HOW DO WE STOP IT?!"

"IF I KNEW, DO YOU THINK I'D BE LIKE I AM NOW?!"

"HYAH!" Out of no where, two knives were launched directly into the monster's mouth, straight through the energy! The monster clutched its throat, the light dimming. It convulsed and kept having small seizures as it writhed in pain. Finally, it spit out a flood of blood, and two throwing knives. It rested still.

"Did...did we beat it?" Juka asked, looking at the monster.

"Most likely," Tiffa sighed and walked into the pool of blood where the knives rested. She picked them up and doused them in a nearby pool of water. "Disgusting..."

"Tiffa, you did that?" Juka asked.

"Yeah...just guessed that would stop it," Tiffa told her.

"Guessed?" a feeble voice came from behind them, and they turned to realize it belonged to Kevi, who had risen, despite his injuries. "One hell of a guess."

"Hey! You shouldn't be standing!" Ashnigh rushed over to him and held him up on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," he recoiled from her and kept walking, "The...temple should be this way."

"At least let me cure you!"

"Actually no," he sighed, "I think it would be better if I arrived at the temple unconscious."

* * *

But too bad for Kevi, Ashnigh had insisted on healing his wounds, and soon, everything but his broken ribs had been healed. Bandaged, and slightly bloody, the group finally reached the ice bridge and heard the hymn of the Fayth playing from the temple. A Guado guard met them, "Welcome Lady Adrian and guardians, please proceed to the temple."

"I forgot," Juka told them as they walked over the bridge, "This place is mainly run by Guado isn't it?"

"Yeah, but lots of other people live here too," Kevi told her, "My friends and I at least." The group reached the red carpet that led up to the doors of the temple, "Looks like we're here."

"Kevi..." Juka asked as the Guado opened the door for them and they walked inside, "You said you and your friends live here...right?"

"Yeah."

"What about your par--"

"KEVI, SWEETIE!" In a second, a pair of arms had been flung around Kevi's neck, almost knocking him to the ground. Once the group had gotten their senses back, they looked and saw it was a woman who looked about in her fourties hugging the ice cold guardian. The woman, dressed in a blue dress and with elbow length brown hair laughed as she hugged Kevi. "You're home! And I see you got chosen to be a guardian again! I'm so proud!"

"Mom...get off of me, please."

The guardians remained silent for a few seconds. Then...it suddenly clicked, "M-M-MOM?!"

"You have a mom?!" Juka asked.

"Umm...duh?"

"Why didn't you tell us man?!" Spiler asked him.

"I thought it was kind of obvious."

"Do you have a Da--"

"Kevi! Boy, you're home!" A large pat on the back from a strange man with a brown beard and wrinkled skin sent Kevi almost sprawling in front of his friends. "Me and your mother were worried sick!"

"Oh honey, don't nag him!" the woman told him, "He's old enough to make his own decisions now."

"I don't know," the man shook his head, "He just goes off and runs alone by himself! He could be kidnapped, or murdered, or--"

"DAD!"

"It's true! You need to show us you're responsible before you can go off on these silly, what do you call them, pilgrimages!"

"DAD, I'M EIGHTEEN, GET OVER YOURSELF!"

"EIGHTEEN?!" the group yelled, "WE THOUGHT YOU WERE ACHIENT!"

"I guess I do give that impression," Kevi sighed.

"Oh honey! Look!" she pointed to Juka, Tiffa, Adrian, Luna, and Ashnigh, "Our little boy finally has a girlfriend!"

"First one too!" the man gave Kevi another hearty pat on the back, Kevi almost choking on his own blood. "Good going son!"

"First...?" Tai eyed him accusingly.

"DAD, SHUT UP PLEASE!"

"Is she your girlfriend?" she pointed to Tiffa as though she was some sort of kitchen appliance, not a young woman, "I don't like her, she's too tall! You need someone who's shorter than you!"

"Don't...don't like me...?" Tiffa asked.

"Is she your girlfriend?!" she pointed to Adrian, then wrinkled her nose, "Oh no! It can't be her! She looks all morbid and has dreadful fashion sense!"

"PARDON ME?!"

"Is it her?" she pointed to Juka, "Oh Kevi! You can't be serious! She can't be more than 12!"

"I'M 16!"

"Maybe her?" she pointed to Ashnigh, "You always did like older women, like when you had a crush on that nun..."

"MOM!"

"OLD?!"

"I HOPE she's not your girlfriend, she looks too weird," she shook her head, pointing at Luna. Luna just giggled. "So, which one is it? I'll have to approve her of course!"

"NO ONE! I DON'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND MOM!"

"Oh, such a disappointment," she sighed, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Reirana."

"And I'm Yeinen," Kevi's father held out his hand to heartily shake Adrian's, shaking her up and down as well. "Glad to meet you."

"Yes, nice, wonderful," Kevi sighed, "Mom, Dad, we're KIND OF in a hurry, so if you would excuse us..."

"Want to see pictures of Kevi from his first pilgrimage?!" Reirana asked them, "He was so cute! It was for a family friend you see! I swear, his axe was bigger than him!"

"MOM, IN-A-HURRY!" Kevi practically grabbed the group and ran up the stairs to the Cloister of Trials.

"But it'll only take a minute!" she insisted.

"TOO LONG!" Kevi opened the door and threw the guardians and Adrian inside, "MUCH TOO LONG!"

* * *

A/N's: Well, there it is! Finally done! R&R!


	7. Orange Wings

HEY GUYS! glomps everyone

Everyone: Get off of us Sammy.

Sammy: gets off Well, finally, it's here! Chapter 7!

Shades of Wings

Chapter 7 – Orange Wings

Ack...I'm listening to "Dancing Through Life" on the Wicked Soundtrack and what Fiero's(sp?) saying is making me want to gag. But this soundtrack is cool. Enough of that crud.

CHAPTER TIME!

* * *

"BWAHAHAHA!" Tai laughed harder than a bunch of 3rd graders watching a documentary on "Human Reproduction" the minute the Cloister doors were closed. Finally, once he had caught his breath, he eyed Kevi, "Not one girlfriend in eighteen years? Only eighteen years old? I guess your high and mighty attitude was shot to pieces back there, eh?"

"I've never had a high and mighty attitude," Kevi snapped back, obviously in a piss of a temper, "And have you ever had a girlfriend?"

Tai blushed and avoided the subject, "Well, I think from now on, you shouldn't be acting like our leader!"

"Well, who would YOU like to be leader?" Silence filled the hall as the usually ice cold Kevi began to melt, "YOU?! Okay everyone, Tai's leader!"

"Hey, I never asked for that!" Tai insisted

"Well then maybe you should shut up!"

"Guys..." Juka intervened.

"Out of the way kid," Kevi growled.

"I am NOT a kid!" she stamped her food on the icy ground.

"YOU'RE A KID, LIVE WITH IT DAMMIT!" Kevi shrieked in Juka's direction, making her eyes widen and begin to water.

'I...I won't cry..." she thought, trying to hold the hot tears back, 'Not in front of him...it'll only prove he's right...' She tried to act as cool as the icy caverns they were in, but Tai must have noticed her watery eyes. He drew his long sword and held it in front of him.

"You. Me. NOW." The defiant challenge to Kevi made the entire group grow silent.

"Tai..." Adrian began, but was cut off by the loud CATHUNK as Kevi lifted his large axe off his back.

"I think it's time I taught you some manners..." He stared down Tai with ice cold eyes.

"You're one to talk!" Tai spat, his aura growing like a flame.

"Touché," Kevi mused, but once again, his cold appearance reaffixed itself, "Let's go!"

Kevi stood still, axe drawn as the battle began. Tai, already perspiring from anticipation held his sword in front of him. "What's the matter?" Kevi called to him, "Afraid?"

"EAT THIS!" Tai, enraged by the insult, stormed forward, ready to strike, "HYAH!" Juka covered her eyes as the blade came down –

On a block of ice. Kevi had dodged the blow easily and had gotten out of the way as if Tai was some slow fly buzzing around his head. "Kid...this axe may be heavy, but your sword is way heavier..."

"DON'T CALL ME A KID, I'M THE SAME AGE AS YOU DAMMIT!" Tai ran forward again, this time with new rage and speed! He brought his sword down too fast for Kevi to dodge, so instead, Kevi lifted up his axe and the sword struck the metal pole that he was holding onto. He easily pushed Tai off and faced him down.

"Even with your max speed, I can still defend against you way too easily," he explained to the enraged guardian, "Try finding my weak point before you blindly attack." He smirked, "I've already got yours figured out."

"Oh yeah?!" he screamed, "PROVE IT!"

"If you wish." In a flash, Kevi had disappeared and was behind Tai, striking his legs with the broadside of his axe, sending Tai flying into a cavern wall. "Your legs are open."

"That's cheating!" Tiffa intervened, "Striking below the belt."

"Umm...before we get into the suggestion of that saying," Kevi grimaced, "You really think that a fiend is going to care about the rules?" Tiffa remained silent. "That's what I thought. Ready to give up yet?"

"No way!" Tai, bloodied and beaten got up, "You made a girl cry! My dad told me that when someone makes a woman cry they have to pay!"

"You have a good dad," Kevi smirked, "I wish my old man would learn something from yours. But anyway..." Kevi drew his axe for another go, "Second round!"

"I think...I've figured out your weak point..." Tai breathed and Kevi chuckled.

"What's that?"

"I'LL SHOW YOU!" Tai lunged forward, then jumped straight over Kevi, planning to slash his back where his axe couldn't get to, "I'VE GOT YOU!" He brought his sword down and—

Fell back as Kevi kicked him straight in the face, making him careen backwards into another ice wall. Kevi chuckled slightly, "Give up, you can't win...you want to know my weak point?" Tai nodded weakly. "I don't have a weak-point. THAT's my weak-point."

"One more go!" Tai got up again, bloodied from the impact, but ready to fight again, "This time I WILL beat you!"

"You're stupider then you look," Kevi shook his head, "Come at me then."

"HYAH!" Tai threw his sword blindly again at Kevi and he gave a "tsk" sound.

"Don't you ever learn?" he sighed and lifted up his axe pole to have the sword strike against it—

And clatter to the floor. "What?!" Kevi asked, wondering where the wielder had gone.

"Over here!" A voice from above screamed. The group looked up to see Tai, hanging from a block of ice on the wall, coming down at Kevi, leg extended to connect with the axe wielder's face!

"Not bad!" Kevi smirked as Tai came down, "Too bad for you!" He dropped his axe and jumped into the air. Tai's foot did connect with his face, but so did Kevi's with Tai's face. The two went back, Tai smashing once again into a wall, Kevi only sliding back slightly. "Smart kid," he wiped a bit of blood of his chin, "But you forgot to take into account our physical strengths. You're lanky and skinny, I'm stronger than you, so of course, my kick would have more power."

"It was worth a try," Tai spat his blood onto the ground, "And after being knocked into so many walls, I noticed that block of ice there."

"You bet it was worth a try," Kevi nodded, "But you lost, take it like a man."

"I plan to." Tai helped himself off of the icy rubble to Ashnigh who quickly healed them both.

"But..." Kevi sighed, "You have a point." He walked over to Juka and kneeled, "I must be punished for making a girl cry." He looked up at Juka, "Hit me."

"What?!" she asked, blushing, "Bu-but I don't wanna!"

"I must be punished," he told her.

"Bu-but..."

"If you won't hit him I will," Spiler stepped forward, Blitzball ready to pound the crap outta Kevi.

"Save some meat for me," Briu extended his spear.

"Umm...umm...fine you guys can hit him for me!" Juka exclaimed all in one breath and Kevi's eyes opened up quite wide.

"Wh-what?!" he asked, looking at the cackling Guado and Blitzball player.

"WAHAHAHA! SMACKDOWN TIME!" Juka, Tiffa, Ashnigh, Luna, and Adrian all sighed and rolled their eyes as the two continuously beat up Kevi.

"OW, OW, OW, OW, OH CRAP, OW!"

"AHHH STRESS RELIEVER!"

"YA KNOW, I COULD MOVE AND KILL YOU BOTH, OW!"

"DO NOT BREAK YOUR OATH YOU GIRL-MAKER-CRYER!"

"HOW LONG DOES THIS GO ON?! OW!"

"UNTIL WE ARE SATISFIED PEASENT!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Boys," the girls sighed simultaneously and walked onto the rest of the Trials.

* * *

Kevi, now healed thanks to artistic license, and the rest of the group continued down the icy hall they had managed to make from the sphere puzzle they had solved. As they walked down, Juka leading the way, Juka slipped on a patch of ice, sending the entire group sprawling down the hall. "Idiot!" Kevi snapped, "Watch where you're walking!"

"You-you're so mean..." Juka turned to face him, eyes watering, "I...I'm going to cry again..."

Spiler and Briu brought out their weapons and eyed Kevi devilishly...

"NO NO DON'T CRY!" Kevi told her, thinking that another beating from the two would kill him.

"Please," Juka rolled her eyes, "Like I'm going to cry again! I'm a guardian remember? I need to protect Miss Morbid here, not cry my eyes out!"

"I see..." Adrian sighed, not thinking about the "Miss Morbid" comment.

"Look!" Juka pointed laughing towards the door to the cloister, "We made it!"

"Quick..." Adrian pushed Juka out of the way, leaving her very ticked, "Let's go."

"Why are we in such a rush?"

"I can feel another summoner's presence here," Adrian's lips pursed. "And if it's who I think it is I will be quite put out..."

"Damn," Adrian muttered as they reached the door and out came Praika, Michiku and Zarai standing near the stairs waiting for her, Praika looking victorious.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Adrian," she smiled, "Just back from getting Shiva. Seems I beat you to her."

"Seems...so..." Adrian sighed, eyes very small and dangerous, "If you don't mind Praika I do have to get my next aeon."

"Not yet..." Praika smiled, "I want to test this new one's strength. How about a duel? Of aeons of course. Not to the death."

"A duel in the Cloister of the Fayth?" Ashnigh spat, "Have you no shame?"

"Plenty," Praika told her, then turned back to Adrian, "So...are you in or out?"

"Don't let her petty threats get to you Adrian," Ashnigh warned, "She's trying to lure you into a tr--"

"In."

"You've been lured."

"Fine then...but you know," Praika raised her eyebrows, "There's no way you can win. I have two aeons, and you have only one. Think about it."

"Well technically Praika...we each only have one," Adrian smiled ever so slightly, "Have you already forgotten Lord Braska's teachings? Maybe it was because you were staring at that boy during class?"

The group, even Michiku and Zarai snickered slightly and Praika blushed, "Fine! I know the rules. Two of the same kind of aeon may not face each other. Then I'll use Shiva and you can use Bahamut!"

"Fine by me," Adrian smiled. "You go first, I insist."

Praika growled, "You've mocked me for the last time Adrian!" She smirked, "BAHAMUT!"

"What?!" Briu yelled, "That's cheating!"

"Really Lady Praika," Zarai commented as the Aeon was called forth, "I must advise against this..."

"Well Adrian, your turn..." Praika nodded to her, Bahamut standing in all his glory next to her, and Adrian scowled.

"I have no aeon to call..." she breathed heavily, "You know that the same aeon can fight itself."

"Really...then I guess you'll have to forfeit," Praika laughed.

"Only because you maliciously cheated!" Adrian spat.

"Only because YOU don't have the strength to get here before me!" Praika told her. "Now I guess I'll just dismiss my--"

"FIRE!" Adrian cast and Bahamut was knocked slightly back. Praika blinked twice, as if astounded by what Adrian was trying to do, "I'm not out yet...if I can defeat this aeon then you'll have no other choice but to summon Shiva! Then it'll be a fair fight!"

"Just try to beat him!" Praika told her, "Bahamut! Attack!" Bahamut lurched forward, ready to punch Adrian straight across the tunnel! Adrian became braced for the impact and –

CLANG! Adrian blinked and looked up to see that Juka, of all people, had stepped forward and deflected the blow! "What are you doing idiot?!" She asked.

"Praika's cheating," Juka explained, "So use me as your aeon!" Adrian looked at her as if she was crazy, "I'm not crazy!" she told her. "I can fight him!" She ran forward and sliced Bahamut's leg, doing minor, yet still efficient, damage.

"Yeah, right!" Spiler told her and ran forward, "Adrian, use me next! It'll still be fair if you only use one at a time right?"

"I...I guess..."

"That's cheating!" Praika yelled.

"Oh yeah and you're one to talk!" Tiffa snarled.

"I must advise against this entire thing," Michiku tried to stop her summoner.

"Michiku, out of my way!" Praika huffed, her face turning red, "Fine! Who cares if you use your stupid guardians! Bahamut can still win!" She turned to the Behemoth of an aeon, "Attack them!"

"It's my turn!" Spiler told them and tried to dodge Bahamut's kick, but instead got knocked back, "Ow!" he rubbed his head as he skidded on the ice, "That smarts..."

"Luna!" Adrian yelled and Luna ran forward, "Blizzard!"

"Righto!" Luna nodded and formed the energy in her hands, "Blizzara!" Bahamut got knocked back considerably from the powerful spell and the group looked at Luna in amazement. "Well...umm...the ice is making it more powerful!" She explained, then giggled.

"Who cares?" Juka asked, "We're winning!"

"Grrrr..." Praika growled as she saw her aeon being pummeled by a few loser guardians. "Fine then!" She snapped and raised her wand, "You think you're really smart don't you?"

"Only compared to some..." Adrian smiled.

"Well," Praika spat, "You fools have unlocked Bahamut's Overdrive attack!" She pointed her staff at the Aeon before her, "Bahamut! MEGA FLARE!"

Bahamut, in a grimacing nod, leaned down and implanted his claws into the ground. Standing on all fours, he began to gather energy in his mouth.

"Crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap," Briu started cursing under his breath.

"What are we supposed to do now?!" Tiffa asked, "I doubt the throwing knives trick will work again!"

"Praika stop!" Adrian told her, "This entire place will be destroyed!"

"Only if you don't stop Bahamut!" Praika told her, laughing haughtily.

"Fine!" A voice came from the back of the cavern, and the group turned to see it had been Tai that had spoken, "Then we WILL stop it!"

"Don't be an idiot!" Spiler exclaimed, "We're dead, doomed, roasted! YOU try and stop that thing!"

"I WILL!" Tai screamed and launched himself into the air! Using the same technique from his duel with Kevi, he latched himself onto a ceiling ornament and aimed his sword at Bahamut, "COMET DROP!" He screamed and let go of the ornament! He let himself fall, sword extended, until it sunk into Bahamut's head! Bahamut screamed in pain and dispersed into hundreds of pyreflies, only to be resummoned by Praika when her energy was back up.

"Nice move dude!" Briu exclaimed to the red haired sword wielder.

"Special Overdrive Move?" Kevi guessed and Tai nodded.

"My dad taught it to me..."

"If my dad ever taught me anything then I would fear for my life," Kevi rolled his eyes, but then shot them straight back at Praika. "Well Missy, you lost Bahamut...I guess now Adrian will have to fight you with Bahamut against Shiva..."

"Damn!" Praika stomped her foot, "I had you too!"

"BAHAMUT!" Adrian wasted no time in calling her own Bahamut Aeon to the field. He glared at Praika, as if aware of the cheating she had done on the battle field. "Well Praika...are we going to stand here all day, or are we going to fight?"

"I'll give you a fight!" Praika growled, "SHIVA!" Out of her wand came the white ice spikes that formed to reveal Shiva. In all her glory, the blue and white woman with flowing blue tresses landed to face the gigantic aeon before her. "ATTACK!" She yelled, and Shiva launched herself forward to give a spinning kick to Bahamut. "See!" She snapped as Shiva came back, "I'm not done yet!"

"Silly...silly Praika," Adrian smiled, almost wickedly, "You forget. Shiva has an element, ice. Bahamut has no element. But he does have the power to call on any elemental attack that he wants..."

Praika's eyes flew open at that comment, "Oh...no..."

"That's right," Adrian told her and raised her staff, "PREPARE TO LOOSE! FIRA!" Bahamut launched the spell and Shiva was thrown back. "Shiva is ice...so of course...fire would affect her more than usual."

"But...but that means," Praika bit her lip, "That I can't win..."

"Oh please!" Michiku stepped forward and eyed Praika. Everyone looked at her, amazed that she had broken out of her serene attitude, "I am NOT going to sit by and watch you feel sorry for yourself at a time like this!" She rolled her eyes, "Don't you remember? Elements work the other way too! Shiva can heal herself with her Blizzard spell!"

"Oh!" Praika nodded, "You're right!"

"Oh course she's right!" Zarai sighed, "Praika, if you're going to beat Adrian, you've got to show some backbone girl!"

"Fine, fine, fine, I get your point," Praika insisted to them, "Shiva! Blizzara on yourself!" Shiva cast the spell and the group could see the damage being healed. "This isn't over yet Adrian!"

"Actually, it is over!" A voice from the shadows came and both groups looked to see where it had come from. As the three people walked forward, the group saw that it was a Yevon Priestess, one with brown blonde hair and dark black eyes. She wore a green yevon robe, like the two girls behind her. They all wore the traditional head dress. The other two girls were both black haired. One had darker skin than the other and wore glasses. The other was shorter than the first and had brown dark eyes. "This is UNACCETABLE!"

The two girls blushed and called back their aeons quickly. They bowed to the priestess and she looked at them with annoyed eyes, "Solve your petty squabbles outside of this holy place!" She stepped forward. "I don't think you know who I am. My name is Mandama, I'm a traveling Priestess of Yevon."

"I'm Elizaba!" the dark haired tall girl spoke, waving.

"And I'm Isase!" The other shorter girl waved as well.

"We're following Miss Mandama here because she travels all over Spira!" Elizaba explained, "You see, we travel all over Spira fighting for animals rights, especially dolphins!"

"I found their cause to be quite noble," Mandama nodded, "But enough of this!"

"There she goes again," Isase rolled her eyes.

"You will get your aeon and leave!" Mandama commanded to the group, "This is a disgrace to Lord Braska's name!"

"I understand ma'am," Praika nodded, then turned to Adrian, "We'll settle this later."

"You bet," Adrian mouthed back, then stormed into the Cloister of the Fayth.

"We'll be on our way then," Mandama sighed to them and then went out of the cloister, followed by Isase and Elizabe, who waved pleasantly. Praika, Michiku and Zarai walked out after them, leaving the guardians alone to wait for their summoner.

After about an hour of waiting for Adrian, the dark summoner finally emerged from the door, looking exhausted. "I did it," She sighed, "I got Shiva..."

* * *

A/n's: WOOHOOOO! There we are, took forever, but here it is! I hope you all enjoy it!

Oh...hee hee hee...this is to annoy all my friends...post the cutest pairings in your next review.  Put at least 3 please! Heee heee heee....

MOOHOOOHAHAHAHA TIME TO ANNOY MY FRIENDS UNTIL THEY COME AFTER ME AND KILL ME! Wait...


	8. Lavender Wings

Chapter 8 – Lavender Wings

Well peoples, lots has gotten in the way of the new chapter. Projects, tests, novels, a strange ninja that seems to be stalking me, and Kevi.

Kevi: O.O''''

Okay, CHAPTER TIME!

* * *

Shades of Wings

Chapter 7 – Lavender Wings

"HOOOONNEEEY!" Reirana waved to Kevi as he and the other guardians came out with the exhausted Adrian. "Guess what Dad found?!"

"It's the old home movies of you!" Yeinin chortled and Kevi's face drained of color. "Anyone want to see a sphere of the birth?"

"GOTTA GO, IN RUSH, GOTTA HUURRRRRY!" Kevi screamed, dragging along the poor summoner and her troupe along with him out of the temple doors.

"But Adrian needs to rest doesn't she?" Reirana asked hopefully, "Why not here at the temple?"

"Be-because the woods are nicer!" Kevi told her.

"But we might get attacked again," Juka pointed out, and Kevi gave her a sharp smack on the head. "I mean…umm…that sounds good!"

"IT'S UNANIMOUS, WE'RE LEAVING!" Kevi shrieked and practically threw the entire group out of the temple doors.

"See you later honey!" Reirana waved along with Yeinin, "Maybe we can set up a play-date for you and your friends!"

"YEAH, GREAT, WHATEVER, BYE!" Kevi gave one final shout and then threw the doors shut behind him. He turned to the group and cracked a smile, "Ahhh…there's no place like anywhere but home."

"I guess it's back to the Agency?" Briu asked, sighing, "We need to backtrack through the forest to get to the Thunder Plains, right?"

"I'd rather not…" Ashnigh spoke softly and the group turned their heads to look at her, "You know…how I feel…"

Tiffa scowled and started to walk away from Ashnigh and the temple, "Fine, we can sleep in the woods and get eaten! After all, prejudice comes first!"

"You wouldn't understand!" Ashnigh told her, scowling, "Let's get to the woods." She shivered slightly and began to walk quickly, "It's cold here…"

* * *

"So we're back here?" Spiler asked incredulously as the group surveyed the pool they had been resting at just a few nights before, "Great…don't I feel like we're making progress."

Luna giggled and ran back to the water, "Ohh....I like it here! It's fun!"

"I for one would rather have been sleeping at the Temple watching movies..." Spiler chuckled at Kevi, who was now blushing.

"Oh stop whining," Adrian snapped and lied down almost immediately, "I'm tired…" she spoke softly, and then noticed Juka grinning at her, "_Slightly_ tired. Let's rest the night…and then it's off to the Thunder Plains."

"Whatever," Tai sighed, sitting down next to his sword, "I for one could use some sleep too."

"I wanna sleep too!" Luna laughed and jumped into the cold water, splashing everyone, but everyone being too tired to notice. Luna got out and then immedietly fell asleep.

"And after that nightmare…" Kevi took off his goggles, blinking repeatedly, as if trying to wash the vision out of his eyes, "I'd rather sleep for eternity…"

Tiffa didn't speak as she picked a spot as far away from Ashnigh as possible and sat down, making sure not to look the White Mage in the eye before falling asleep. Juka frowned at the two women and then gave a heavy sigh, "I…I guess I should go to sleep too…" She sat next to Adrian and tried to find a comfortable tree trunk to lean against. As Briu and Spiler drifted off, she found one and leaned against it. She shut her eyes, realizing that she too was exhausted, and let herself drift off to sleep…

* * *

"_Lai…you still awake?" Juka looked up from where she was sitting and saw she was at the same clearing she had fallen asleep in. She looked around, and saw Ashnigh. She smiled, "Ashnigh, why aren't you asleep yet?"_

"_Why aren't you asleep?" A voice asked, and Juka looked to the right of Ashnigh and furrowed her brow as she saw a man with blue spiky hair, wearing long and formal cream and emerald colored robes. He held a summoner's staff in his hand, and was looking at her worriedly, "It's late."_

"_I could ask the same of you," Ashnigh spoke softly and Juka noticed that her hair had gotten shorter and that she wasn't wearing the same clothes as she remembered. "You really should get some rest…"_

"_Why are you still up?" Lai asked again, not looking Ashnigh straight in the eye. _

"_I was worried, that's all," she told him, "You're always staying up late…even at the temple… Adrian always noticed because you woke her up during the night."  
_

"_I don't think it's any of your concern when I go to sleep," he told her sternly, "You're not my mother…"He turned away from her coldly, "It's none of your business."_

"_It is too my damn business!" Lai's eyes widened and he turned his head to face a crying Ashnigh. "It's my business because I'm in love with you!"_

"_Ashnigh…" Lai started to speak, but was cut off by a strong hug from Ashnigh, who was crying into his robes. _

"_I love you…that's why I came with you as a guardian!" She told him, "Because I love you…"  
_

"_Ashnigh…" Lai spoke again, and then, he put his hand on her head and smiled, "I love you too."_

"Sniff…hicc…hicc…" Juka opened her eyes wearily to a crying Ashnigh, now back to her usual form.

"Ashnigh…?" Juka rubbed her eyes and Ashnigh turned to Juka, her eyes wide with surprise and her eyes red and puffy from crying, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing…" Ashnigh told her, rubbing her eyes, "Sorry if I woke you up."

"But you were crying…" Juka told her, coming over to her, "Why are you upset?"

"I told you, it's nothing!" Ashnigh pushed Juka away, "Just leave me alone!" With that, she stood up and walked out of the clearing, leaving Juka alone.

* * *

"Lai…" Ashnigh spoke softly, "That place…it's such a fond memory for me…" Ashnigh stood outside the clearing on a tree branch, looking over the entangled vines of the forest. "So fond…"

"What is wrong Miss?" Ashnigh looked up suddenly and almost screamed as she saw a bird like creature with a long headdress, cloak, and harp. (This is an actual person in the game.) He strummed a few notes on the harp and then turned to her, "Why are you so melancholy in such a beautiful forest as this?"

"It's nothing…" Ashnigh laughed, "Really…"

"Lying is a fickle thing that only affects humans," the bird smiled, "Not us creatures of the forest."

Ashnigh sighed, and then brought her knees to her chins, "Just bad memories…that's all…"

"Bad memories…" the bird nodded, "I see…"

"It seems that all those bad memories out way the good…" She spoke, her eyes dull, "You know?"

The bird smiled at her, and then, with its plumed hand, it touched her head and a small spark came from his hand. "But those good memories are the most beautiful in the world aren't they?"

"Perhaps…" Ashnigh spoke, her eyes getting hazier, as if she couldn't focus anymore.

"Think of a happy memory for me…" he told her and she smiled widely.

"_I love you too…"_

Out of no where, a blue butterfly materialized and started to flit around Ashnigh. She giggled, trying to catch it, but it flew out of her reach, "You cannot touch memories…" the bird explained. "Only relive them…"

Ashnigh burrowed her face in her knees, "There are some I don't want to relive…"

"_He's…he's gone…"_

"_GET AWAY FROM ME!"_

Ashnigh grimaced and tears started to form in her eyes. But with two "flicks!" out of the air came two red butterflies that went chasing after the red. She blinked a few times and then turned to the bird, "Think of another happy memory…"

"_She's my lover, got a problem with that?!"_

Another blue butterfly rose out of the air and Ashnigh this time stood up and tried to catch it, it still reaching out of her grasp. She laughed and watched her memory fly into the air.

It continued on like this, the bird kept strumming its harp and Ashnigh kept thinking of memories, both bad and good, until all the butterflies that she had created were flitting around the woods, playing with one another, the good and the bad. The bird smiled at the butterflies, and then at Ashnigh. "These are quite nice…"

"Oh thank you," Ashnigh smiled to the bird as she counted her butterflies, "There are more red than blue…"

"Are there?" the bird asked, counting with her, "That's funny," he pointed to one red butterfly and Ashnigh gasped as she saw it becoming blue, "I think there are more blue than red…"

"But…but how?!" Ashnigh asked him, "How did that memory become erased?!"

"Maybe someone shared a happy memory with you," the bird explained, smiling serenely, "And that turned the butterfly blue…"

Ashnigh didn't ask who could have shared her memory as she looked at her beautiful mind butterflies, "So…" she asked the bird, "Will they go away?"

"Not as long as the memories stay alive…" the bird told her, "Or unless a very special person can catch them…only memories can catch memories," Ashnigh blinked as the bird spoke, "Remember that."

"Oh my!" Ashnigh smiled as she saw the sun shining through the tree tops, "It's already morning! I was having so much fun, I completely lost track of the time."

"As most do," the bird nodded, smiling at her, "I hope we will meet again Ashnigh…"

"As I hope I will meet you again Mr. Bird," she bowed, not inquiring why the bird knew her name as she ran off, "Now, I must get back to my friends, goodbye!"

"Goodbye Ashnigh," the bird waved and smiled at the butterfly that had been changing colors, "The spreading of memories…" he strummed a few notes on his harp and smiled to himself, "Has always been a specialty of mine. But it is even more of a specialty of those humans who pass their memories on…" He chuckled to himself and walked on down the wood path, "That young girl was the only one who had not felt pain like Ashnigh did," he explained, almost to himself, "Therefore only she could harbor the memories…treating them as a fleeting dream." He smiled and tried to touch one of the butterflies, only to have it fly away from him, "Of course," he chuckled, "Only he can touch these…can't he? I shouldn't have to remind myself…" With that, he walked off, playing his wing harp with the most pacific of tunes…

* * *

"Morning already?" Spiler grumbled as he and the rest of the group woke up, Ashnigh waiting for them, quite awake. "Yevon…where does the night go?"

"Ashnigh, you okay now?" Juka asked her and Ashnigh smiled.

"I'm fine Juka," she told her, "Just needed to let some memories take flight."

Juka opened her mouth to ponder upon this, but Adrian stepped forward, "Let's move on…we've got a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time."

The group walked on through the blue forest, Ashnigh keeping spirits up with jokes and stories. The rest of the group remained silent as Ashnigh monopolized the conversation, none of them really minding. "Finally," Tai spoke at last, "We're here."

"WE'RE HERE AGAIN?!" A loud voice came from behind the group, and they spun around to see none other than Carolynin and Lindsayay behind them, Tala in the center, joined by a dog with a smoother coat, short stubby tail and colored black. Both dogs looked at their trainers with slightly bored looks. "THAT IS IT, CAROLYNIN, I SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN YOU THE MAP!"

"WHAT MAP?!" Carolynin asked, "YOU JUST SAID, "Oh…I think it's this way!" AND NOW WE'RE LOST!"

"We aren't lost," Lindsayay told her, rolling her eyes slightly, "We're just misplaced."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Umm…need some help?" Briu spoke up and the two turned to look at the summoner party, along with the two dogs.

"Hey, it's you guys again!" Carolynin smiled and waved, "Could you help us out, we're in kind of a fix!"

"What kind of a fix?" Adrian asked, raising her eyebrows.

"We're lost…" Lindsayay cried, "We were trying to get to the Calm Lands, and now we're lost!"

"Umm…just head north up this path…" Adrian pointed, "That should lead you there..."

"North up the path!" Carolynin nodded, "Easy enough to remember!"

"Oh and look!" Lindsayay pointed to the new dog, "I got a new doggy!"

"WE got a new doggy!" Carolynin insisted, throwing her arms around the dog's neck, "His name is Artemis!"

"Umm…he's cute…" Juka laughed and Artemis gave her a low growl. "ACK!"

"Ahh don't mind him," Lindsayay laughed haughtily, "He's just been trained to attack at the word "cute"!"

"That's an odd codeword…" Kevi asked, sweatdropping slightly.

"I like it…" Adrian smiled widely.

"Speaking of which," Carolynin sighed, "We haven't gotten any orders from Master Kinoc in a while, have we?"

"Not really," Lindsayay shrugged, "But I'm sure we'll get a message in a day or so!"

"What about?" Tiffa asked.

"THAT'S TOP SECRET!" they screamed simultaneously and the group fell back. "Well anyway!" Carolynin laughed cheerfully, "I guess we'll be seeing you guys around, won't we?"

"Umm…sure…!" Juka laughed and then screamed as Artemis leapt on her and chewed on a bit of her hair. "ARRRGHHH, HELP ME!"

"Ooops!" Lindsayay giggled, "I forgot, he's trained to attack on the word "Umm!" How stupid of me!"

"Really, how could we forget?" Carolynin chortled to herself and her companion.

"It seems so irresponsible!"

"SOME HELP OVER HERE! OH CRAP I THINK HE'S GOT MY EAR!"

"Oh Arty, come over here!" Carolynin whistled and Artemis leapt off of Juka, knocking the wind out of her and making her scream in pain. "Silly puppy!"

"Well, see you guys later then!" They waved and walked off with the two dogs towards the upper path.

"Owie…" Juka whined, "That dog is a monster…"

"I like him…" Adrian smirked.

"I'm sure you would."

* * *

THE END! ENJOY AND MORE IS ON ITS WAY!

Next Chapter:

Chapter 9 – Yellow Wings!


	9. Yellow Wings

Shades of Wings – Chapter 9 – Yellow Wings

Thanks to all my great reviewers out there! I adore you darlings! It seems Kevi is the most popular character, but that's why I've decided to do THIS!

Shades of Wings Popularity Poll!

For the next ten chapters, I'll be doing a popularity poll for your favorite character! Here's a list of choices!  
Juka  
Tiffa  
Tai  
Spiler  
Luna  
Kevi  
Ashnigh  
Adrian  
Briu  
Praika  
Zarai  
Michiku  
Carolynin  
Lindsayay

There you go! Now vote (Note: No leaving loads of anonymous reviews just to vote. If you're going to leave an anonymous review, it must be at leastten lines and must say something about the story.) Remember! At Chapter 20 - I shall announce the results!

* * *

"Well…here we are," Adrian spoke softly as the group exited the blue forest that eventually molded into hard dark ground. The group saw as the road went on that the ground was hard, and almost caked black from travelers beating it down. Juka looked up, and squealed.

"EEEKS!" she ran behind Tiffa as above them, a bolt of lightning struck. She cowered under the sound and gulped a little.

"Oh stop making a fool out of yourself," Adrian lowered her eyes, "The lightning towers should pick up the bolts for us."

"Yeah…" Tiffa told her, "They were created by an Al Bhed, so they'll be fine."

"Funny how he got struck by lightning while building them," Ashnigh spoke softly and Tiffa shot her a glare, "Maybe the wrath of Yevon."

"I'd like to see the "Wrath of Yevon" come down on you…" Tiffa muttered under her breath and walked forward onto the plains.

"But hey…" Juka questioned as they began to walk through the Thunderous plains, "The weather will clear up…right?"

"Don't count on it," Kevi told her, "The Thunder Plains has always had rain and thunder…never one ray of sun."

"Geez…" Tai grimaced, "So we'll have to watch out right?"

"Not to mention any fiends that might come out," Briu told them.

"Fiends…fiends…" Luna sang softly as she and her doll danced along the path.

"Right," Adrian nodded to Briu, "Keep an eye out, everyone."

As the group walked through the plains, Juka practically screaming every time a bolt of lightning struck, the group remained silent. No one talked over the thunder and the rain, and even Luna was keeping quiet. Only the light "bump, bump" on Spiler juggling his blitzball could be heard.

"You know…" Adrian grimaced, "That's getting very annoying…"

"Hey…" Briu asked Spiler, "Why don't you get a fighting blitzball? It would be more useful then this one…"

"Cause then I can't juggle it," Spiler told him, "And I need to keep practicing, don't I?"

"What's more important to you?" Adrian asked him, her eyebrows raised, "Being a guardian, or being a Blitzball player?"

"Well…we're stopping in Luca to see the tournament right?" Spiler inquired.

"Don't be an idiot," Adrian had to restrain herself, "Luca is a tourist spot, no aeons, no nothing. We'll just go through it to reach the boat to Kilika, that's all."

"But hey"

"I could really care less about your stupid Blitzball…" Adrian told him, "And your stupid tournament…I'm going to beat Sin…I have no time for these trivialities."

Spiler remained silent after that comment, and Ashnigh, looking sympathetically at him, spoke up, "But Adrian…" she pointed out, "Blitzball is what takes the people of Spira's minds off of Sin and death. Isn't that important?"

"If you take your mind off something doesn't mean it doesn't exist…" Adrian told her, "I learned that a long time ago…"

"Adrian's right," Juka nodded and Adrian looked slightly surprised that Juka was actually agreeing with her, "But so is Ashnigh. Sometimes people just gotta have fun, right?"

"Right!" Spiler smiled, "See Adrian?"

"If Juka says something is right then it's automatically wrong…"

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!"

"Nothing…"

"Grr…"

"But still…" Kevi spoke up, "I don't think that stopping in Luca would be a bad idea."

"See?" Tai said, "Even Kevi thinks that stopping would be a good idea! Now THAT'S something!"

"I think so too," Ashnigh smiled warmly.

"As do I!" Briu told her.

"I really don't care what all of you think," Adrian snapped, "This is my pilgrimage and we'll do what I want!" With that, she turned sharply on her heel and continued to walk swiftly down the muddy path. Spiler looked solemnly after her and then hung his head.

"Hey, sorry man," Briu gave him a sharp pat on the back, "I guess we can't stop…"

"Maybe I should get a better blitzball," Spiler sighed, "After all…I'll never have to use this one."

"Will you PLEASE get out of my way?" Adrian's voice could be heard from up ahead and the group's heads snapped up to see what or whom she was talking to.

"I'm looking for someone…I think you know him…"

"I don't care if I do!" Adrian growled, "Get out of my way!"

"Let's see what's wrong," Kevi walked forward and the troupe followed until they finally saw Adrian talking sharply to someone under a lightning tower.

"Excuse me?" Juka called and Adrian and the person she was talking to snapped their heads around. "Who are you?"

"I'm Adrian you dolt!"

"Not you!" Juka sighed, "Who are you talking to?"

"That would be me," the voice that had been speaking to Adrian before stepped forward and the group turned their heads to get a good look at the man. He was wearing a long pair of pale blue pants that matched his pale blue top. Over his pale blue top was a short white tunic that looked similar to Spiler's. The man had sandy blonde hair that had a pale blue and white head band. "Hey."

"Umm…who are you?" Tiffa asked and the man looked at her oddly.

"You don't know me?" he asked and they all shook their heads, except for Spiler, who had lowered his head. "What rock did you all grow up under?"

"Djose!" Juka raised her hand, only to have Adrian give her a sharp punch on the head.

"He wasn't asking you where you live…"

"Well…since you all seem to be totally unaware of the genius that is before you," the man puffed out his chest, as if to accentuate his importance, "I am Stiven Athana!"

Silence. The man waited, and then looked at the group with an annoyed look in his eyes, "I was expecting applause…"

"Umm…yay?" Juka clapped her hands lightly to be greeted by another sharp punch from Adrian.

"Well…" Stiven sighed, "I'm not really interested in knowing you people, so we can skip introductions. I just know that you have someone with you that I need to talk to."

"Who might that be?" Adrian asked, "And how do you know he's with us?"

"Well…" Stiven paused, "I don't. I've accused every person that's passed of having this guy in his or her party."

"You're…joking…" Tai facefaulted.

"This is a waste of my time," Adrian growled, "C'mon!"

"But wait!" Stiven called after her, "You've got to know him! I've been here for five days looking for him!"

"I'm sure I don't, now let me pass!"

"His name is Spiler Nairmen!" She stopped, as did the rest of the group and turned their heads toward Spiler, who looked up, blushing. He stepped forward and looked at Stiven.

"Hey…"

"HA! I HAVE FOUND YOU!" Stiven screamed, as though congratulating himself, but he quickly retained his cocky air. "Well, well, well, Spiler, I never would have thought I'd run into you in a place like this."

"THEN WHY WERE YOU ASKING IF HE WAS HERE?"

"Given up on Blitzing and became a guardian?" Stiven chuckled, "Good choice…there would be no way you could stand up to me."

"Please…" Spiler sighed, "Why in the world did you seek me out Stiven?"

"Because I want to tell you how much of a loser you are!" Stiven told him, "Look at you! You fight with a blitzball!"

"Well…what am I supposed to do!"

"Get a blitzball like this one…" Stiven pulled out from behind his back, a ball that had a ring of spikes on it, colored mauve. "It's a special one, built for fighting."

"Idiot…" Spiler spoke and Stiven facefaulted, "How the heck are you supposed to kick it?"

"Ahh…well…umm…I dunno yet!" Stiven told him, "But it's still better than yours!"

"Umm…clue us in," Tiffa asked the two men, "How do you guys know each other?"

"We grew up together…" Spiler explained, "Unfortunately."

"We've always been rivals," Stiven said, "But I was always better, so it didn't really matter."

"WHY YOU!"

"So…Miss Summoner," Stiven smiled, "I bet you wouldn't want an old hack like Spiler in your guardian group…how about I replace him?"

"ACK! How dare you try to take my job!"

"I bet you want the best, don't you?" Stiven asked her, ignoring the raging Spiler.

"Yes…I do…" Adrian nodded and the group looked at her with fear on their faces.

"You wouldn't really replace Spiler would you!" Juka asked, "That would be mean!"

"I propose this…" Adrian explained, "You…Mr. Athana…follow us through the Thunder Plains, and we'll see who does a better job of being my guardian. I will base my decision on that."

"You're joking!" Tai screamed.

"No…I'm quite serious. Mr. Athana, please, feel free to destroy any fiends that you wish."

"Well…usually I wouldn't be into this kind of thing," Stiven chewed his words delicately, "But…if it's another chance to show Spiler who's better of us two, then I'm in."

"Glad to hear it." Adrian continued to walk forward, "We should be at the Inn soon…"

(Author's Note: Never stay up until 2 A.M. It's bad…very bad…)

* * *

The group continued on, Stiven following them. Every person in the group shot him icy cold glares at any possible moment, even Kevi, although Tai commented that he would shoot an icy cold glare at a passing pink bunny rabbit. So far, it was calm enough. No fiends would bother them as they walked down the path, Stiven and Spiler always on their toes, making sure that no fiend would escape them.

"Hey Stiven," Spiler hissed and Stiven turned his head.

"Huh? What?"

"Why in the world are you doing this! You don't want to be a guardian!"

"Just to make you mad…" Spiler facefaulted. "It's fun."

"EURGG! YOU PISS ME OFF!"

"Screaming, minus one for Spiler," Adrian announced and made a mark on a clipboard that she held.

"YOU'RE ACTUALLY KEEPING SCORE!"

"Minus one more for screaming…" Adrian made another tally.

"That puts me two points ahead," Stiven chuckled.

"Minus one for acting smug."

"Make that one…" Spiler smirked.

"Minus one for acting superior."

"Make that two!" Stiven cackled in Spiler's face.

"Minus two for cackling."

"Eat that!"

"Minus one for…"

* * *

"Well, at the break…you're both doing horribly with a score of -24." They had arrived at the Travel Agency and Adrian was reviewing her clipboard. "Spiler achieved a total of 1 plus points for noticing a rock on the ground that we could have tripped over. Stiven achieved a total of 2 plus points for noticing a bolt of lightning, but then immediately lost them by trying to push Spiler under the bolt."

"You grade hard…" Juka shivered.

"Minus one for sniveling."

"WHAT!" Juka screamed, "I'm not even in this stupid game!"

"I've made a decision," Adrian announced, "The game starts over anew, and this time, everyone's playing…"

"Hey!" Briu asked, disbelieving, "So that means that Stiven could replace anyone of us?"

"Yes…the one with the least amount of points at the end will trade places with Stiven," Adrian explained, "So I suggest you all be on your best behavior."

"Okay!" Juka pulled out her sword, "I'm ready!"

"Minus one for acting stupidly mature."

"Ack!" Juka squealed, "Does that mean I'm at -2!"

"Yes…I'd work hard to bring the points back…" Adrian suggested, "Now…let's go."

* * *

"Minus one for not being on guard."

"Minus one for almost tripping."

"Minus one for yawning annoyingly."

If Juka was keeping the points straight…the score was as followed.

Juka: -7

Tai: -3

Kevi: 2

Ashnigh: 5 (Adrian was grading in her favor…she knew it!)

Tiffa: 1

Spiler: -4

Briu: -3

Luna: 0

Stiven: -4

"Plus two for thinking that that rock was a fiend," Adrian added two points to Ashnigh's score, "Good job Ashnigh! Always be alert!"

"THAT'S STUPID!" Juka screamed.

"Minus one for calling me stupid. Minus another one for screaming. Minus another one for arguing."

Juka: -10…

"Eeeeks…" Juka squealed. _I've got to find a way to boost my points… _"Look! A fiend!" Juka pointed to a rock and Adrian swiveled her head.

"That's not a fiend, stupid! It's a rock! Minus one!"

Juka didn't scream out, she just scowled and kept walking along.

* * *

"HYAH!" Juka gave the Large Drake in front of them a slice, followed by Kevi's finishing blow.

"Plus one for vanquishing the fiend," Adrian added a point to Kevi's score.

"What about me…?" Juka asked, "I helped too…"

Adrian looked at her…then scowled, "Fine…plus one for helping to destroy the fiend."

"Hey Spiler," Stiven spoke and Spiler turned his head, "When the next fiend comes, then I'll show you the power of a fighting Blitzball."

"Hope you get holes in your feet…" Spiler scowled.

"WATCH OUT!" Tiffa screamed and a giant shaking noise filled the air around them. Everyone covered their heads as a giant wind blew over them. Juka turned her head up and gasped with the rest of the group at the giant flying drake above them.

It was a drake…only with wings and two giant purple horns that were pulsing electricity. It gave a large growl and looked on them menacingly with red, blood wanting eyes. It landed with a giant "SMASH!" and the earth seemed to shake beneath their feet.

"Crap!" Tai screamed as the entire group went down. They got up to see the monster, teeth bared, ready to attack them and destroy them all.

"Heh," Stiven stood up, "I've got this covered…" He took his blitzball and threw it up, "EAT THIS, HYAH!" Stiven's foot connected with the blitzball and a look of pain shot through his eyes. "OW, OW, OW, OW!" He grabbed his foot and started jumping around, "OW, OW, OW!"

"Idiot!" Spiler laughed, "I told you that would happen!"

"SHUT UP!" Stiven screamed, "EAT THIS!" He then proceeded to chuck the blitzball in Spiler's direction. Spiler gave a small "eep!" and proceeded to put up his own blitzball in a desperate defense. A loud "CLICK!" came as Stiven's blitzball connected with Spiler's, and somehow, the spikes retracted. Everyone looked at it in awe. "Hah! Of course, I was hiding the fact that I knew where the button that activated it was! Now!" He hastily snatched the ball from the ground and held it in front of him, "Watch this!" He gave it a swift kick and as it sailed toward the monster, the spikes exploded from the ball and gave the monster an enhanced smack, leaving a few blood traces. "Yes!"

"Big whoop!" Spiler launched his own ball, not doing as much damage as Stiven, "Dang…"

"Hey! This ain't a "whose sports equipment is better" match!" Adrian snapped, "Everyone, let's go!"

"Right!" They all nodded and unsheathed their weapons.

"Tiffa, distract it with a few weak rounds!" Kevi ordered, "Tai, Juka and I will do a follow up attack! Luna, use some water magic on it! Adrian, summon if things get bad!"

"What about us?" Spiler and Stiven asked simultaneously.

"Yell at each other," Kevi shrugged, "You're not doing much help now."

"HYAH!" Tiffa launched her knives, making the monster turn on her.

"I said "rounds" not "knives"!" Kevi said.

"Does it matter?" Tiffa asked incredulously, "Attack!"

"HYAH!" Tai ran up and gave the monster a deep gash in its face, Juka following up with a stab to the back.

"AXE SLASH ROUND-A-BOUT!" Kevi launched his axe, flinging it as the monster, severing one of its ears, making it scream with pain. The axe came flying back to him, and he caught it in his hand.

"Nice one!" Juka laughed.

"NOW, TIME FOR ME TO SAVE THE DAY" Stiven yelled.

"THE DAY DOESN'T NEED SAVING MORON!" Spiler screamed to him, making him stop in his tracks.

"WILL YOU JUST GET YOUR HAS-BEEN SELF AND GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WAS LOOKING FOR ME!"

"WAS NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WILL YOU BOTH SHUT THE HELL UP?" Adrian screamed, stopping them as they were about to start beating each other up, "WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING!"

"Adrian!" Ashnigh yelled, "I don't have enough magic strength left to cast!"

"We're all pretty beat up!" Juka insisted, dodging an attack from the monster, "We need to beat it!"

"I'll summon, stand back!" Adrian stepped forward.

"No!" Spiler yelled, making everyone turn their heads towards the two. Spiler paused, then gulped slightly, "We'll fight it."

"You idiot!" Adrian sighed, "You two can't even share a sandwich together, let alone fight this monster."

"Gack!"

"What's sad is that she's right…" Juka sighed, "Adrian, go!"

"SHIVA!" Adrian performed her danced and out of the ground came the Ice Dancer Shiva to aid them. "Attack!"

As Shiva did a spinning kick to attack the monster, it recoiled with a slash of its claws, sending her flying back. "Blizzara!" Adrian commanded and once again, Shiva launched an attack, only to have the Drake throw fire from its mouth and hit the aeon. "Oh no!" Adrian cursed as Shiva faded into pyreflies, "Shiva…didn't stand a chance against that thing."

"We've just got to fight it!" Kevi insisted, "Go!"

"No!" the group turned around to see that it had been Spiler that had spoken, Stiven at his side, "You're all too beat up to continue, leave this to us."

"Are you joking!" Adrian asked, "Leaving it up to you would be suicide!"

"Trust us!" Stiven insisted, "C'mon you idiot," he called to Spiler, "Let's get it…"

"Right!" Spiler nodded and launched his blitzball, Stiven launching his own. The Spiler reeled back as it was hit and turned its attention to the two players.

"Hey Spiler…do you know Round About Diversion Play, or are your skills really that lame?" Stiven asked.

"Of course I know that play stupid!" Spiler grimaced, "So…am I bait or receiver?"

"…" Stiven stopped, "Receiver…I'm faster than you."

"Hey!"

"It's true, now get over there!"

"R-right!" Spiler nodded and quickly ran to the other side of the monster. The drake turned its head toward Spiler, but stopped as it was once again hit by Stiven's ball.

"Now…" Stiven smiled as he received the ball back, "You want it?" He held it up, "Adrian! Heads up!" he pointed at Adrian and Adrian looked at him with wide eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IDIOT! I DON'T PLAY BLITZBALL!"

But the monster had gotten the idea and quickly moved in the way of Adrian and prepared himself for the ball coming. Hoping to block it, he stood his ground, gathering power. Stiven smiled, and his eyes flicked toward Spiler, now open. "You're stupider than you look…aren't you? SPILER, HEADS UP!" He threw the ball towards Spiler and the monster turned his head toward the blitzball player, but it was too late.

"OVERDRIVE," Spiler screamed, "TWO HIT VOLLEY!" Spiler launched the two balls from his hands and his feet, sending them both straight into the monster's eyes, blinding him. He screamed and bled, and then burst into pyreflies and dispersed throughout the plains.

"We did it…" Tiffa sighed.

"I can't believe you two actually could work together," Juka laughed.

"Well…I must say, it was pretty degrading," Stiven nodded.

"Hey!"

"Hey, we're at the exit!" Ashnigh said, "Finally!"

"Time for the final point counts…" Adrian announced. "First…some last minute points. For Spiler…" she looked at him, "Plus eight for swallowing your pride and working with your rival."

"Yay! Spiler's not going!" Tai, Luna, and Juka cheered.

"As for Stiven…" Adrian raised her eyebrow, "Plus one point…"

"Why only one?" Kevi asked and Stiven shrugged.

"I don't really mind."

"And as for you Juka…" Adrian looked at her, "You…get…"

Juka gave a gulp.

"Plus ten points."

"Huh?" Juka asked, "Wh-what for?"

"Do I really have to tell you?" Adrian asked and Juka smiled, "I don't think so."

"Thank you so much!" Adrian was met with a large glomp from Juka that made her blush furiously.

"GET OFFA ME OR I'LL TAKE OFF TEN POINTS!" Juka promptly got off Adrian as she brushed off her clothes, "That means that you Stiven are the loser. Nice fighting with you."

"Hey, I'll take it like a man," Stiven shrugged, "Hey, maybe I'll see you guys again later? Especially you Spiler," Stiven smirked, "We've got a score to settle."

"You bet," Spiler nodded, "Next time, none of this "getting along" crap."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Yay! The group stayed together!" Juka cheered, "I'm so happy!"

"You really are naïve…" Adrian sniveled, "You do know what's going to happen after I beat Sin right?"

"Oh…yeah…" Juka nodded as the entered Guadosalam.

"Lady Adrian!" From nowhere, a Guado ran up to the group, panting, "Maester Seymour wishes to have you at his manor immediately! Please follow me!"

"Should we go?" Tai asked.

"No other option," Kevi shrugged, "He is the Maester."

"All right then…" Adrian nodded, "Let's see what he's got to say."

* * *

CLIFFY!

Oh yeah! Have fun reading! Don't forget to review with your favorite character!


	10. Rainbow Wings

Shades of Wings Chapter 10

Hey hey hey! How's it going guys? Been a while since a chapter, but I assure you – this will make up for the wait!

As of which...

Tiffa: 1  
Luna: 1

It's tied at one vote for each! Remember to review and VOTE!

ANYWAY, ENOUGH TALK! More chapter! More Shades of Wings!

* * *

Chapter 10 – Rainbow Wings

Last time in Shades of Wings…

"Lady Adrian!" From nowhere, a Guado ran up to the group, panting, "Maester Seymour wishes to have you at his manor immediately! Please follow me!"

"Should we go?" Tai asked.

"No other option," Kevi shrugged, "He is the Maester."

"All right then…" Adrian nodded, "Let's see what he's got to say."

* * *

"WOAH!" Juka exclaimed as she saw Maester Seymour's giant mansion, situated right at the head of Guadosalam. "This guy must be loaded!"

"What? You thought the Maesters lived in huts?" Kevi asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I must admit," Tai let out a low whistle. "This place is huge."

"Oooo big shiny house…" Luna wooed under her breath.

Briu, on the other hand, was looking quite proud of himself as he sauntered up to the house and knocked on the door. The group looked at him as though he was crazy, and he put on a "don't worry" face and explained himself. "Don't worry, Maester Seymour and I are tight."

"You're "tight" with a Maester?" Adrian questioned.

"Yep!" Briu smiled. "You see, around here, I didn't have many friends, but Maester Seymour was always watching out for me. Inviting me in, sharing food; everyone was jealous. Now we're really close friends: man to man."

"Don't you feel kind of strange being around a half human, half Guado?" Ashnigh asked.

"I don't think that a half breed is strange at all," Tiffa spoke up in a terse tone. "Just because Maester Seymour's mother was a human doesn't make him any different from his Guado fellows."

"Of course it does," Ashnigh argued. "Some people say that Maester Seymour was suddenly elected after his father's death because of the fact that he could make ties between the humans and the Guados."

"He is pretty young isn't he?" Spiler brought up. "Twenty something if I remember."

"Twenty eight," Briu corrected. "The youngest Maester in history. But he's really talented, so of course he'd get the position after Lord Jyscal's sudden death."

"I am kind of tired of all the Maesters being old farts," Juka commented.

"Juka!" Adrian snapped and Juka reddened.

"W-well they are!"

Tromell

Adrian was about to pummel Juka more; that is until the door suddenly swung open to reveal a Guado with pointed green hair, a large green top and a long nose. Juka thought he resembled a tree, but knew better then to bring it up. 

"Why hello there," the Guado bowed to the summoner and guardians, and they all quickly turned to face him. "You must be Lady Adrian and her guardians. I am Tromell, butler to Maester Seymour."

"Hey Tromell!" Briu smiled at Tromell and Tromell gave a warm smile back.

"Hello Master Briu, how are you today?"

"Fine, fine," Briu smiled. "How's Seymour?"

"Maester Seymour is doing well," Tromell smiled. "He has made an amazing recovery after the death of his father." Tromell turned to the rest of the group. "I'm afraid I'm forgetting my place, please, all of you, come in."

So, they did as they were told and all filed into the grand house, which turned out to be just as grand on the inside as it was on the outside. Luna, of course, marveled all the paintings, intricate wood workings, and tables in the room, while Juka joined her, Adrian looking displeased at their behavior.

"See?" Briu smirked. "I can get in here any day I want."

"I really just want to talk to him and get out," Kevi snuffed. "We're busy people."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Spiler threw his arm around Kevi's shoulder, much to Kevi's dissatisfaction. "Don't an opportunity such as this go to waste! Look at this place, this guy must be loaded!"

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves," Ashnigh scolded. "Talking of a Maester that way!"

"Well…we're just telling the truth," Spiler shrugged.

"Ahh, Lady Adrian and guardians!" The group looked up to where the voice was coming from. Right at the top of the stairs stood a man with electric blue hair, a red sagging top and ceremonial sleeves and pants. He had the traces of the trademark Guado veins in his face, and one of his hands had long fingernails on it, just like Briu's. The other hand was normal though, and his ears were round, like a human's.

"Yo! Maester Seymour!" Briu waved to Seymour and Seymour smiled.

"Ahh, Briu. Please, do not call me Maester, it does not suit me with you around," Seymour came downstairs and walked up to Adrian. Bowing, he smiled at her. She, as usual, stayed stoic, yet more polite then usual. "Lady Adrian, I am Maester Seymour Guado, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Adrian smiled at him as he took her hand and kissed it. Juka wished she had a sphere recorder for the face Adrian made at that moment.

"I'm sorry to have called you from your pilgrimage," Seymour apologized. "But I just had to speak to you."

"About what, pray tell?" Adrian asked, still doing her best to sound as polite as possible.

"Straight to the point, I like that," Seymour smiled. "But first, you must come with me, all of you. Up to my chambers, I have something to give you all."

"A gift?" Spiler asked. "Like what! Money!" His eyes became wide.

Seymour laughed. "Oh no, not at all, something much better. Come, come."

Auron

The group followed Seymour up the large flight of stairs up to his chambers, Juka still wary and keeping with Luna. As they entered the room, Juka stopped as she saw three giant statues. One of the Legendary Lord Braska, the other of his guardian, Sir Auron, and the other of his other guardian, Sir Jecht. Of course, Lord Braska was dead, and Sir Jecht had passed away as well, but Sir Auron's whereabouts were currently unknown. He had been missing for ten years, ever since Braska had defeated Sin. 

"Do you like these new statues I've received?" Seymour spoke up and Juka and Luna turned towards him. "High Summoner Braska's is being put up in all the temples, but I was lucky enough to receive all three."

"They're nice," Juka nodded. "Do you know where Sir Auron is right now?"

"Unfortunately I do not," Seymour smirked lightly. "Shall we continue on?"

"Umm…be right there!" Juka called as the group continued on. Luna stayed behind with her, looking at the statues as well. "Luna?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think…Sir Auron's dead?"

"Yep!"

Juka fell over at that statement, then quickly recovered. "Just because he's missing doesn't mean he's dead!"

Lord Braska

"But I know," Luna smiled. "He's dead all right! Dead as a door knob! He should be in the Farplane, but he isn't." 

Juka was confused at that statement. "What do you mean?"

"He ran away!" Luna laughed. "He ran away from the Farplane to help tell a story! Kind of silly, don't you think?"

"I'm not getting you…"

"He's dead!" Luna insisted, getting slightly frustrated. "But he's not where he should be!"

"I…" Juka shook her head. "What about Sir Jecht? Is he dead too?"

"Nope! He's alive!" Luna smiled and Juka once again fell over.

"You idiot! Everyone knows he's dead! He died along with High Summoner Braska! Only fools think that he might still be alive!"

"But he is!" Luna frowned. "And everyone knows he's alive too!"

"No they don't!" Juka snapped. "He's dead Luna! You're just being silly!"

"I am not, I am not!" Luna shook her head, almost shaking her cap right off of it. "Look at the statue!" She pointed to Jecht's statue. "Look at it! Really look at it!"

Juka did really look at it; as long as she could. She stared at every detail, hoping she would find some sort of clue, but stopped, as she felt a shiver go up her spine. "What was that?" she asked.

"You know he's alive!" Luna insisted. "Just not in the way he's supposed to be."

"Huh?" Juka asked, once again confused. "You're so weird Luna."

Luna didn't answer, and Juka looked over at her. Her eyes, usually bright and happy, were now darker, and more emerald then usual. She was staring at the statue of Jecht in a deep meditation. "It's funny…" Luna smiled lightly. "He's not even supposed to be here."

"Huh?"

"C'mon!" Luna returned to her usually perky self and grabbed Juka's arm. "Let's go! I want presents, I want liver, Choco mix choco mix please deliver!"

"All right, all right!" Juka laughed. "I'm coming!"

* * *

"You're joking."

Adrian had completely dropped the "be polite to the Maester" act and was now in complete and utter speechlessness, except for those two words of which she said again. "You're joking."

"A…dance party?" Tai asked, slightly confused at the notion that Maester Seymour had just suggested.

"Yes! People from all over Spira will be coming to enjoy themselves," Seymour smiled at them. "When I heard that a summoner was passing through, I just had to invite you."

"You're jok-"

"I think what Adrian is trying to say," Ashnigh spoke nervously, interrupting Adrian. "Is that we have nothing to wear to such a formal occasion."

"That's why we're here!" Seymour smiled as he pulled out a lavender dress and gave it to Ashnigh, who was in slight stupor at the gift. "I've all had dress robes and gowns prepared for you. Now there's no excuse."

"We're much too busy," Kevi said, thinking that was excuse enough. "You, of all people, should understand what Adrian is doing right now."

"Of course," Seymour nodded. "But taking a break isn't supposedly wrong. You've been traveling for days now, you must be tired."

"Hey!" Briu stepped forward. "C'mon guys, it'll be fun, loosen up! Let's enjoy it while we've got it!"

"Well said Briu," Seymour smiled.

"If it's only for one night…" Adrian grumbled. "I suppose that we can stay."

"Fabulous." Seymour's eyes narrowed with delight. "The party is starting in only a few hours. You'll find all your dress robes and gowns in here." With that, he walked down the stairs, his long fingernails gingerly touching the banister.

"This – is – dumb," Adrian stated.

"Adrian," Ashnigh calmed her. "You might enjoy yourself."

"Yeah, right. The day I enjoy bunnies is the day I'd enjoy a "dance party"."

"Okay!" Tiffa stepped forward. "Girls get this room, boys can change in the other one!" She threw the four sets of dress robes at the guys, Kevi still looking slightly annoyed that the pilgrimage had been delayed.

"All right, let's get…" Tai sighed and the guys trudged into the next room, slamming the door behind them.

"All right girls!" Luna cheered. "Make-over time!"

* * *

"GAH!" Briu finally screamed. The boys, already dressed, had been waiting at the bottom of the stairs for about an hour, still wondering where the girls were. "How long does it take a girl to get ready! Just slip on the dress, that's it!" Briu was decked out in white dress robes, long sleeved and lined with gray silk. He kept his sunglasses, but wore a white Guado shoulder guard.

"I must admit…" Kevi said, tapping his finger against his crossed arms. "They are taking a long time." Kevi had royal blue dress robes on; two chest pockets and a long sky blue lining decorated it. He kept his goggles and boots on, but had blue fingerless gloves adorned with blue stones.

"I don't really mind…" Spiler said, his mouth full of fruit from the table in the main room. "This food is great." Spiler was wearing a dull yellow set of dress robes, the top separate from the bottom. The top was lined with gold circular trim, and the bottom was made up of a pants set that had the legs connected by fabric.

"I've never worn such fancy clothes…" Tai observed, picking up his long orange dress robe bottom, making sure that his shoes were still underneath the billows of fabric. The collar of his robes came all the way up to his neck, and he had a tight orange sash on his waist. He kept his headband. "My dad would kill me if he found out that I had accepted such a fancy gift."

"If they take ONE MORE MINUTE to get ready…" Briu fumed. "Then I am seriously going to go up there and"

"WE CAN HEAR YOU PERVERT!" the girls simultaneously screamed from upstairs, and the boys all reddened from embarrassment.

"Fine!" The guys looked up as they heard a voice. "You could have had a little patience!" It was Tiffa, now adorned for the party in a red silk dress with no sleeves and thin straps. The dress had a sash that went around Tiffa's arms, and the entire thing was decorated with red rhinestones. She had on red high heels instead of her usual boots, and her hair was now in a neat bun, held by a red rhinestone hair tie that fell to the back of her neck. A few strands of hair framed her face. She walked down the stairs and the boys looked at her, strangely wondering who she was and what she had done with their gun-totting friend.

'_Wow…that really must be Tiffa… She's drop dead gorgeous!' _Briu thought, smiling widely, trying to keep in drool.

'_I can't believe that Tiffa could actually get into an outfit like that…she's usually pretty rough…but now…'_ Kevi pondered.

'_Tiffa looks awesome…red is definitely her color_!' Spiler grinned as Tiffa reached the bottom of the stairs.

'_What a knockout…hmm…older women…'_ Tai thought, hoping that Tiffa wouldn't somehow smack him for the "older women" comment.

"I'm reeaaadddyyyy!" A cheerful voice came from the top of the stairs, and everyone knew who it was who came sliding down the banister. It was Luna, and she too had been dolled up for the party. She wore a long green skirt and short sleeved green top in which the sleeves fell onto her arms instead of resting on her shoulders. She wore emerald green shoes and had emerald bracelets on. Her hair had been brushed more then usual, and she wore a green emerald circlet. In her green gloved arm was her usual Black Magic doll. She landed at the bottom and smiled.

'_Luna may be weird…but wow, she's kind of pretty…'_ Briu thought.

'_That nut-job can actually get formal? Who would've guessed…' _Kevi gulped as Luna ran around the room.

'_Luna's just as pretty as she is strange!'_ Spiler laughed inside his head.

'_The doll's a nice touch…hmm…younger women…'_ Tai thought once again, Tiffa now wiped from his mind.

"I'm here…" grumbled you-know-who. It was Adrian at the top of the stairs, trudging down, obviously angry at the get-up she was in. She was wearing a long sleeved, black lace covered black dress, along with long black high heeled boots. He hair was now swept into a bun with a trial of hair sliding out to her mid back. A long bow of black lace held it in place, and she obviously had been forced into make up. She wore five necklaces, all black or white in color. Her skirt billowed slightly, but not so poofed that it looked silly.

'_Adrian's grumpy as hell, but she's really pretty when she wants to be…'_ Briu reasoned.

'_Adrian? In a formal gown? This isn't happening…'_ Kevi tried to wipe the image from his head.

'_Adrian: Sour, nasty, and amazingly good-looking!'_ Spiler evaluated.

'_The slightly Gothic looks suits her…hmm…slightly older women…' _Tai pondered.

"Guys! I'm ready!" The guys looked up and had their jaws hit the ground as none other then Ashnigh came down the stairs, looking just a tad bit off the most gorgeous thing ever to hit the planet. She was wearing a tight white top with thin straps. At her navel, her long lavender skirt started and fell to her ankles. On her arms was a lavender wrap, shiny and covered with purple flecks. She wore her usual Yevon necklace and high heels. Her hair was gathered into a bun, a long lavender ribbon holding it up, and her make-up was perfect. As she came down the stairs, the guys all immediately ran to help her down, even Kevi…who made it perfectly clear that he was _walking_ (As opposed to the sprinting that the other guys were exhibiting) to help a lady, like a gentleman. All four of them grabbed her hands and helped her down.

'_What a BABE! Ashnigh's looking good tonight!'_ Briu smiled, drooling slightly.

'…' Kevi thought, trying to hold it in, then, finally, just let it spill all out. _'She's hot okay!'_

'_Ashnigh's really pretty…' _Spiler thought, sounding rather dumb.

'…_R-r-really older…women…' _Tai drooled inwardly as Ashnigh came down and gave them each a kiss on the cheek for helping her.

"Thanks boys," she winked and they all blushed.

"N-no problem…" They all said simultaneously, then quickly returned to what they were doing.

"I'm ready, okay!" The boys looked up as the final girl came down the stairs, Juka. She was wearing an indigo tank top that billowed over her indigo long skirt after she had tucked it in. On her arms were her usual arm bands, and her feet had short indigo zipper boots on them. She wore an indigo choker and kept her usual hair-do and headband. "Well?" She asked, hoping for some sort of reaction. "How do I look?"

'_I wonder when this thing is going to start…'_ Briu thought.

'_Is that dust on my shoe?'_ Kevi wondered, staring at his boot.

'_Ashnigh's really pretty…'_ Spiler said again.

'_I'm hungry…'_ Tai rubbed his stomach.

The boys all received simultaneous drop kicks from Juka at their inward comments. "Somehow I can hear your thoughts and they aggravate ME!" Juka screamed, getting up from her kicks.

"Ah!" Maester Seymour stepped into the room, wearing his usual Maester attire. "You all look wonderful! Come, come, the party is about to start!"

The group walked into the room, and saw at least a hundred people all milling around, talking, eating, dancing. Mostly Guado were there, but plenty of humans and a few Ronso as well. Of course, no Al Bhed attended.

"Come, come," Seymour beckoned them in. "The party has already started."

"Corner, must find corner…" Adrian muttered under her breath, then quickly sped off towards a corner in the room. The others followed her, but Ashnigh didn't get too far.

"Will you dance with me?"

"Hey, back off, I saw her first!"

"Would you join me for cocktails?"

"I love your dress, would you care to dance?"

"Hey babe, let's dance!"

"Uhh…I…" Ashnigh had been surrounded by men, all asking her to join them for drinks, food, or dancing. She didn't know what to do. Meanwhile, Juka and the others (except for Adrian of course) were looking slightly jealous.

"Hey!" Juka yelled and the men turned their heads. "I'm open if anyone wants to dance!"

Silence.

"So babe, care to dance?" the men continue to bark at Ashnigh, Juka now extremely angry at all of them. Tiffa had to drag her off before she drop kicked all of them as well.

"I…umm…I…"

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Through the crowd of men came a man with blue long hair, about to his shoulders, and cream and emerald colored dress robes. He smiled at her with bright blue eyes and Ashnigh stopped from shock.

"L-Lai…"

"Yep! That's me, Lairon! I'm surprised you remember me! It's been at least seven years since acolyte training! Come over here, we've got so much to catch up on," he grabbed her wrist and quickly pulled her away from the crowd of men, all of which were disappointed that the prettiest girl at the party was now taken.

"Umm…what do you mean acolyte training?" Ashnigh whispered to him once they were out of sight from the men. "I don't remember yo"

"Ahh, I just made that up to get you out of that mess," Lairon smiled and Ashnigh blushed and looked away. "Sorry, did I meddle in something I shouldn't have? You just looked in trouble."

"N-no…not at all…thank you very much…" Ashnigh sat on a chair and Lairon stood over her. "It's just…nothing…I'm babbling."

"I've got time," Lairon smiled. "But I would much prefer for you to babble over a dance." Ashnigh looked up and Lairon smiled guiltily. "C'mon! Don't tell me that your savior doesn't get at least one dance?"

"You're just like all the others," Ashnigh stated, slightly terse in her tone.

"So what if I am? C'mon, it'll be fun." Ashnigh blushed as red as her hair as Lairon grabbed her hand and led her up onto the dance floor. Placing his hands on her waist, he glided her around the dance floor. She, however, refused to look him directly in the eye.

"Grr…that lucky Ashnigh!" Juka growled from the corner that Adrian had picked out. "She's already got a date!"

"As long as no one notices me, I'll be fine…" Adrian mumbled to herself.

"Well…one babe's gone, but there's got to be more around here," one turned down man sighed, then looked at the corner of girls. He and his friend walked over. "Hey," he said to Tiffa. "Care to dance?"

"Actually n"

"Great! C'mon!" Before she could object, the man had grabbed her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. The other man walked up to Luna.

"Care to"

"I'D LOVE TO!" Luna jumped onto the man and started dragging him onto the dance floor, in which she proceeded to dance fast, against the beat of the slow music. The man looked as though he knew he had made a mistake.

"Grrr! C'mon! It's not like I'm THAT less attractive then Tiffa!" Juka yelled.

"Yeah, if you had a chest then you'd be right up there with her," Adrian sniggered and Juka eyed her with a murderous look.

"I DO TOO HAVE A CHEST! I'M AT LEAST A C CUP!"

"Do we have to hear this conversation?" Spiler asked, reddening.

"What about you! What's YOUR bra size!" Juka asked Adrian.

"OH LOOK, FOOD!" Briu said, doing his best to avoid the conversation at all costs. "Let's go eat!" He quickly grabbed all three guys and led them over to the buffet table while Adrian was snapping at Juka that it was none of her business.

"I need alchohol…" Kevi complained and grabbed a wine bottle.

"Hey, no drinking for minors!" Briu snapped and grabbed the bottle from Kevi.

"I'm technically an adult," Kevi warned him. "And a lot bigger then you…so watch it Pops."

"Fine, fine," Briu poured him a glass and Kevi thankfully drank it. Briu, on the other hand, chugged the rest of the bottle and reached for his second.

"Dude – no." Spiler snatched the bottle and looked at Briu warily.

"Hey! This is quality drink we've got here!" Briu told him, grabbing the bottle back and chugging the contents. "After all…itsh…not likesth…I'd lets myself gethts drunks or something…hahahaa…"

"Oh crap…" Tai sighed. "Dad always told me drinking only ended in misery."

"Heehe…"

"Go ahead!"

"He's kind of cute, ask him!"

A group of three human girls came up to Tai, one blushing lightly in the cheeks. "Umm…I was wondering if you'd like to dance."

"Uh-uh…uhh…I…I…umm…" Tai stumbled, trying to fight off his lack of experience with the other gender. "I'd love to!"

"Tai…you're talking to the ham on the buffet table…" Kevi told him and Tai blushed redder then his hair.

"He's kind of weird…" one of them whispered.

"Uh…I've got to go to the bathroom, bye!" the three waved and ran away quickly.

"Craaaaapp…I just missed my chance at cute girls…" Tai cried waterfall tears.

"Why not just dance with the ham?" Kevi asked, snorting lightly.

"Oh yeah, and you're a big womanizer I bet!" Tai snapped. "How would you handle a girl?"

"Like this," Kevi said, prepared to defend himself. He quickly walked up to a woman engaged in conversation and smiled. "Hello miss, would you care to dance the next song with me?"

She didn't answer.

Maybe that was because she was a plaster bust and Kevi's nerves were making him hallucinate. Kevi looked hard through his goggles and realized his mistake. Tai was back at the table, snorting into his water glass.

"Fine! I'll dance with the ham if you dance with the bust!" Tai laughed hysterically while Briu downed his third bottle.

"Dude, let's sit down…" Spiler dragged Briu over to a chair and practically forced him to sit in it. "Now breathe…"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Briu laughed hysterically, his legs kicking slightly.

"Master Briu always was a happy drunk…" Tromell said, coming into the room.

"Hey Tromell," Kevi greeted, still getting over his "bust" at asking a girl to dance. (Haha…pun…) "What's up?"

"I have two of Lord Seymour's esteemed guests," Tromell told him. "They say that their friend is already here. Come in Master Albatross, Lady Katrina."

After Tromell walked two people. The first was a woman, obviously Katrina. She had long reddish brown hair and was in a pink formal gown that showed off her curves quite well. Long slits were in the skirt of the dress, and in her hair was a pink quartz circlet. Her hands, dainty and thin, had rings on them and pink bracelets. Her eyes were wide and brown.

The man following her was obviously Albatross. He had short light brown hair with brown high lights in it. He wore a crimson red dress robe top and golden pants. His boots were brown and intricate golden lines decorated his crimson top. His eyes were a unique golden color.

The boys, even Briu being in his drunken state, all noticed that Katrina was probably the biggest knock-out at the party, next to Ashnigh, and so did all the other guys in the room. Already losing Ashnigh to Lairon, they all ran up to Katrina, asking to dance.

"Hey, another babe, how's about a dance?"

"Miss! Miss over here!"

"Would you like a drink? Or something to eat?"

"I'm free for the next dance!"

Katrina looked at all of them, obviously annoyed. She pushed through each and every one until she got to the dance floor and eyed Lairon and Ashnigh dancing. Her eyes narrowed.

"Umm…Miss?"

"Get out of my way maggots," she snarled and pushed through all of them, walking up to the couple dancing.

Kevi whistled. "She may have Ashnigh's looks, but her personality definitely could use some adjustment."

"I know," Albatross spoke, smiling widely. The guys looked up and saw that he was looking at them with cheerful eyes. "Katrina's like that sometimes, give her a chance."

"And you are…?" Kevi asked.

"Oh! Where are my manners?" Albatross giggled. "I'm Albatross Valdamar," he smiled, shaking each and every one of their hands. "I'm a Yevon Priest."

"Valdamar?" Kevi asked, his eyebrow raised. "I've heard that name. You're rumored to be the one who's supposedly going to take Maester Mika's place once he passes away."

"Well yes, I suppose that's true," Albatross shrugged. "But I really do get tired of everyone treating me special! It's annoying as hell!"

The guys chuckled at that one. They all quickly engaged Albatross in conversation, as he was an easy person to talk to. Meanwhile…Katrina had already "cut-in" on Ashnigh and Lairon's dance.

"Lairon!" She yelled to him and Lairon sighed.

"Oh Yevon…"

"Lairon!" She walked up to the two of them. "What are you doing dancing with this girl? I thought you promised you would dance with me!"

"I never said I would dance with you Katrina…" Lairon told her, rolling his eyes.

"I don't care," she sniffed. "You're dancing the next dances with me!"

"Actually…" Lairon smiled in Ashnigh's direction. "If I could Miss Ashnigh, I was wondering if I could take the liberty of reserving you for the next dance as well."

"Umm…well…I have no problem with it," Ashnigh blushed, then looked at Katrina.

"Lairon!" Katrina growled. She then turned to Ashnigh. "This is all your fault! You probably forced him to dance with you!"

"I-I didn't, I jus-"

"Don't lie!" Katrina snapped. "There's no way he'd dance with an ugly, nasty girl like you unless you forced him!"

"Katrina!" Lairon yelled. "You'd better apologize to Miss Ashnigh right away!"

"Only if you promise to dance with me!"

"KATRINA!" Lairon roared, obviously now angry beyond words. "How many times do I have to make this clear! We're just friends!"

"That's what you think!" Katrina said nastily, then turned to Ashnigh. "Don't think I'm letting you get away with this! I'll get you!" She then turned on her heel and stomped out of the room.

"I have to apologize for Katrina…" Lairon sighed as the music ended and they broke. "Just recently she said she loved me…but…I don't feel the same way about her. She refuses to accept it."

"You could've danced with her…" Ashnigh murmured.

"B-but I really wanted to dance with you!" Lairon insisted and Ashnigh turned to him.

"You did?"

"Y-yeah…" Lairon lowered his eyes. "Sorry…I guess you're right. I only saved you because I wanted to dance with you. It was a really cruddy thing to do, right?"

Ashnigh looked at him and her eyes narrowed. For the first time that evening, she smiled at him. "Let's dance," she took his hand and started to dance around the floor as the music started. Lairon smiled, relieved and started to dance with her.

"Excuse me…" Tiffa said to her partner as the dance ended. "I'm afraid there's somewhere I have to go…" Tiffa had seen Katrina threaten Ashnigh and stomp out of the room. She waved to her partner and ran out the doors, following Katrina, who was now just outside the manor.

"What do you want?" Katrina snapped as Tiffa stepped in front of her.

"I heard what you said to my team mate back there…" Tiffa said warningly.

"Yeah? So what? I'm going to get her…" Katrina snarled. "That witch! I'll kill her!"

But Katrina didn't say anything more, because the next thing she knew, she was at gun point. Tiffa had drawn her rifles, hidden under her skirt, and was now pointing one straight between Katrina's eyes. "Let's get one thing straight…" Tiffa said, her voice slow and cold. "I hate Ashnigh's guts, but she's still my team mate. You lay one finger on her, and prepare to have your brains blown straight out of your head." Tiffa lowered her guns and Katrina cackled.

"What? You think that just because I'm wearing pink means I'm helpless?" she asked, and, from the folds of her dress, she pulled out a long shining sword with a pink and silver handle. "Let's go, one on one."

"You? A sword wielder?"

"I have to protect Albatross," she smirked. "After all, he is next in line to be Maester. While Lairon defeats fiends with magic, I more of go for the slice n' dice type."

"All right…" Tiffa said, quickly taking out her knives.

"None of those…" Katrina smirked. "You've got to use your machina."

"These?" Tiffa asked, holding up her twin guns. "You're joking right? I can easily beat you if I stay long range. And what about all the people in the town?"

"They're all inside or visiting the Farplane," Katrina smirked. "No witnesses, no one gets hurt, except you. Oh, and as for the "long range advantage", please, I don't need your advice."

"Fine!" Tiffa snapped and pulled out her twin guns. "Let's go!"

* * *

"Hey guys!" Spiler waved to Adrian and Juka, who were still in the corner of the room. "Meet Albatross, he's really cool."

"Hello Lady Summoner and Lady Guardian," Albatross smiled cheerfully. "I am Albatross."

"Hi!" Juka waved and pulled Adrian over to Albatross. "I'm Juka, and the morbid one here is Adrian!"

"Hello Lord Albatross…" Adrian muttered.

"Pleased to make your acquaintances!" Albatross bowed.

"Tross, man, let's go and have a drinking contest!" Briu suggested, holding his fourth bottle of wine.

"Sounds splendid!" Albatross cheered and made his way back over to the table with the boys.

"What a weirdo…" Adrian sighed.

"I can't believe it!" Juka snarled. "Half the party and not a single person has asked me to dance! Well…" she smiled. "At least you haven't got a partner yet, so that means that we're still equal!"

"And I care because…?"

"Lady Adrian!" Lord Seymour smiled and came over to the two girls. "Would you care to dance?"

Adrian did her best to smile, Juka thought that it looked like it hurt. "Well…uhh…I'd love to…" She took his normal hand and he led her out to the dance floor. She mouthed to Juka 'You're my guardian, save me!' But Juka was too angry that now even Adrian had a partner.

"GAH! THIS SUCKS!" She screamed. "I'll go over and join the guys."

"So, Lady Adrian," Maester Seymour finally spoke as they danced, Adrian doing her best not to look at the tattoos that Seymour had on his chest. "Have you heard the news of High Summoner Braska's daughter, Lady Yuna?"

'_Great!'_ thought Adrian. _'He asks me to dance just so he can talk about another girl! That's tactful!'_

"Yes, I have," Adrian said, trying to sound polite. "It seems that she has a lot of potential."

"And very young," Seymour added. "Even younger then you."

"Yes, yes, she's great," Adrian rolled her eyes. "Why bring her up?"

"I was just thinking which one of you will become High Summoner," Seymour shrugged.

"Don't worry," Adrian suddenly looked dark. "This girl might have potential, but I'm afraid that the title of High Summoner belongs to me."

"That's what I like to hear!" Seymour laughed as the song ended. "Anyway, I was just wondering if you knew of her whereabouts."

"She's probably around Kilika somewhere," Adrian shrugged. "Maybe on the S.S. Winnow."

"Thank you very much," he smiled and let her go back to her corner.

"Disgusting, filthy, creepy man!" she muttered under her breath, glad to be back in her corner.

"W-would you do me the honor of dancing with me again?" Lairon asked and Ashnigh smiled. "I really like the way you dance."

"Of course," she smiled. "What is this, number ten?"

"We've been dancing all night," Lairon laughed. "The time's passed so quickly."

"Yeah…" Ashnigh said, her eyes becoming duller.

"You all right?" Spiler asked as Juka trudged over to the boys.

"NO! Adrian's dancing with Maester Seymour! I'm the only one who hasn't got anyone to dance with!" Juka snarled.

"I know!" Albatross spoke up. "I'll dance with you! WE'LL KICK ASS ON THE DANCE FLOOR!"

Juka got pepped up by Albatross' victory scream. "YEAH! KICK ASS! POUND IT!"

"POUND IT!" The two pounded fists and Albatross grabbed Juka's hand. "OUT OF OUR WAY MEDIOCRE DANCERS!"

"Hey guys…" Kevi's eyes narrowed. "Have you seen Tiffa?"

* * *

"HYAH!" Katrina ran forward towards Tiffa, but Tiffa, an expert at her trade, quickly backed off and fired another few rounds that hit Katrina dead on. "Damn! Rubber bullets? You're just playing with me…"

"Then get better at fighting…" Tiffa snarled. "I've been dominating the entire fight. You're not even a challenge."

"Hmm…I guess you're right…" Katrina shrugged and Tiffa's eyes widened. "I've successfully gauged you. Time to get serious!" From her back, she pulled out a long curved shorter blade then her long sword and prepared them both. "Like what I have hidden in my dress? I call it my Hawk Eye sword! No one's ever beaten me with it!"

"There's a first time for everything! Eat this!" Tiffa fired another round of rubber bullets, and Katrina quickly raised her long sword and blocked them. Tiffa cursed and reloaded her gun. "You're making me switch to stun bullets, don't blame me if you get hurt!"

"Believe me!" Katrina lunged at Tiffa. "I WON'T! HYAAAH!" She slashed the Hawk Eye so fast that Tiffa couldn't jump back in time and was sliced across the cheek.

"Argh!" she held her face, yet raised her gun and fired a few bullets at Katrina. She quickly blocked them with the long sword and chucked the Hawk Eye at Tiffa. It spun around like a boomerang and Tiffa had to jump over it to avoid it. Her slash fell from her arms and was sliced in two. The blade came back to Katrina and whizzed perfectly into her hand. "I get it…" Tiffa reasoned. "You use the long sword as a shield, then use your swift Hawk Eye blade to attack."

"Good observation," Katrina smirked. "But it won't help you now. Soon you're going to end up like that sash! HYAH!" She lunged at Tiffa, the blade ready to perform a round-a-bout slash. Tiffa jumped high and fired bullets, only having them clang off of Katrina's sword. Katrina sliced with her blade, and Tiffa dodged only in time to save her life. A strand of Tiffa's hair fell to the ground and she jumped back.

"Damn…" she murmured. "There's no way I can beat her…that sword is like a permanent shield." She looked at the sword, and saw its silver blade crackle.

Crackle?

The stun bullets! Of course! The paralyzing effects of the bullets were affecting the sword! That meant… Tiffa stood up, took out her bullet cartridge and dropped all the bullets to the ground. She quickly loaded in another cartridge and stared at Katrina. "You've forced me to get serious. I'm aiming to kill."

"Just try!" Katrina cackled. "With this sword and my Hawk Eye, I'm invincible!"

"Shut up."

"HYAH!" Katrina lunged forward and Tiffa fired a few shots, only to be blocked by the sword. "You never learn do you!" Katrina laughed as she slashed at Tiffa, who dodged it just in time to fire a few more rounds. "You're only wasting bullets! Come at me!"

"Wasting my ass!" Tiffa smirked. "It's time for you to go down."

"Just try!" Katrina snarled.

"I will…" Tiffa smiled widely and held out her guns. "OVERDRIVE: ELEMENTAL SHOT ROUND!" She gathered red energy around her guns, "FIRE!" She fire six rounds of the fire induced bullets, only to have them be blocked once again by Katrina.

"You fool!" Katrina laughed. "It doesn't matter that you hype up your bullets, I can still just deflect them with a flick of my sword! You really are a fool! Wasting all those shots so you could power up enough to use your overdrive!"

"Who says I was aiming to hit you?" Tiffa asked and Katrina's eyebrows raised. Her hand grew warm, then hot and she dropped the sword immediately.

"What the!" she looked down and almost screamed as she saw her longsword melting into a pool of useless steel. "Y-you…you used fire to melt my sword!"

"Right!" Tiffa laughed. "You're catching on! Now!" She loaded in stun bullets again. "EAT THIS!" She fired the rounds, and Katrina, unable to block them, fell backwards from the shots.

"Y-you…actually beat me…" Katrina murmured, getting up, her lip bloody. "I can't believe it…"

"Yeah! So don't you dare lay a finger on the prejudiced bitch, all right?" Tiffa commanded.

"Tiffa! Tiffa, what's going on?" Tiffa turned her head to see Kevi, Spiler, and Tai all running towards her.

"Tiffa, what happened?" Kevi asked, looking at Katrina.

"Gave a brat a smack-down," Tiffa shrugged. "That's all."

"C'mon," Tai held out his hand to Katrina. "Let's get you back inside and cleaned up."

Katrina batted Tai's hand away and stood up, still slightly stunned. "I'm fine!" She walked swiftly back into the house. "This isn't the end of this!" With that, she slammed the door of the manor behind her.

"Woah…what went on here?" Spiler asked Tiffa.

"Nothing, let's get back inside." Tiffa looked around, confused. "Hey, where are Juka and Adrian?"

"Adrian's back in her "corner" and Juka…well…" Tai gave a long sigh.

* * *

"AND SPIN, 2, 3, 4!" Albatross spun Juka around rapidly as the two danced outrageously, knocking over other couples and enjoying themselves beyond their limits. "And JUMP!"

Juka jumped into the air, only to be spun around by Albatross. "OH YEAH BABY!" she laughed as she came down. The music ended, and the couples quickly cleared the dance floor except for Juka and Albatross. "I must say Tross-man, you KICK BUTT at dancing!"

"I could only kick as much butt as I do with a good partner," Albatross complimented and Juka laughed.

"Ahh, you flatter me."

"The next dance is starting!" Albatross cheered. "Let's dance again!"

"Fine by me!"

"Katrina!" Albatross looked out the door of the room to see Katrina, bruised and bloodied walking up the stairs. "Sorry Juka, I have a bad feeling Katrina got into another fight. Let's dance later, kay?"

"Okay…" Juka frowned as Albatross launched after Katrina. "Great…now I'm without a partner…AGAIN."

"Would you like to dance once more?" Lairon asked Ashnigh and she smiled wearily.

"Sure, but aren't you tired?"

"Ahh, you don't have to tell me when to rest," Lairon laughed. "You're not my mother."

Ashnigh's eyes widened and she bit her lip. She looked like she was about to cry. "Miss Ashnigh, I'm…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's not that…" Ashnigh said, tears in her eyes. "We need to talk, it's very important."

"Sure, you can come up to the guest room," Lairon grabbed her hand and led her out of the room just as Tiffa and the others entered.

"Man!" Tai sighed. "Tiffa, what did you do to her?"

"I said it was nothing," Tiffa snapped. "I just felt like fighting her."

"Why did you fight her?" Kevi asked, obviously seeing right through Tiffa. She looked at the ground.

"It's none of your damn business, okay?" she said, a dark tone to her voice. "Just leave me alone, I need some wine." She proceeded to the buffet to drink.

"So Adrian…" Juka walked over to Adrian, now without a partner once more. "What did Maester Seymour want to talk to you about?"

"Lady Yuna."

"Lady who?"

"You really are clueless!" Adrian snapped. "She's High Summoner Braska's daughter! She started her pilgrimage a short time ago."

"Oh…why did he want to talk about her?"

"Everyone says she's got "so much potential"," Adrian mimicked. "Please, she just gets treated special because she's famous."

"You sound jealous," Juka pointed out and Adrian turned to her, eyes narrowed.

"I am not!"

"Are too," Juka sniggered. "You never defend yourself unless what's being said is true."

"Look!" Adrian said sharply. "I'm going to become High Summoner, not that sniveling little brat, okay!"

"Okay, okay…" Juka bit her lip. "Just asking."

* * *

"Miss Ashnigh…" Lairon sat down with her on the guest room bed, Ashnigh now on the verge of tears.

"Call me Ashnigh…" she murmured.

"Ashnigh…" he started again. "What's wrong?"

"It's…it's that…" Ashnigh wiped her tears. "It's such a long story. I guess…I should tell someone besides myself." Ashnigh sighed. "You look almost identical to my old lover, Lai…"

Lairon's eyes widened as Ashnigh continued to tell her story. "Even your name…it scared me for a bit. And you act like him too. It's that…just that…"

"You broke up?" Lairon asked, putting his hand on Ashnigh's.

"Yes…" Ashnigh said. "But…it's not that…where do I start? It all started at the Calm Lands…I was getting cold feet about Lai going through with his pilgrimage. I didn't want him to die…after I had been with him all that time."

"_Lai…" Ashnigh spoke softly as she walked along with him. The other guardians stayed behind. "Lai, are you sure you want to do this?"_

"_Ashnigh…you've been asking me that since we left the Moonflow…" Lai sighed. "The answer is yes, I'm going to become High Summoner."_

"_But at the cost of your life!" Ashnigh asked and Lai stopped._

"_Ashnigh…this is for the people of Spira. The ultimate sacrifice. As a summoner, it's my duty."_

"_But…but what about me?" Ashnigh asked frantically. "I love you and you're going to die!"_

"_THEN YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON LIVING!" Lai screamed and Ashnigh stopped dead in her tracks.  
_

"_Lai…"_

"_You've got to support me Ashnigh," Lai told her. "This is my decision. If you really love me…then you'll let me die."_

"That was his ultimatum," Ashnigh whispered to Lairon. "If I really loved him…I'd let him die. I wondered more times then I could count "what kind of choice is that?"."

"What happened after that?" Lairon asked.

"He…suddenly…" Ashnigh searched for the words, "changed."

_The group was now on Mount Gagazet, suffering through the cold winter snow. Ashnigh bundled herself up as the others fought fiends; she sporadically healing when necessary. Lai was growing colder, darker, more abusive._

"_Keep moving!" he snapped. "I swear, you're so slow!"_

"_What are we in a hurry for Lai?" one man asked. _

"_You fool!" Lai snapped. "For me to become High Summoner of course!"_

"_Lai…" Ashnigh whispered. "You're scaring me."_

"_You too Ashnigh! Don't you dare slow me down!" Lai walked on ahead and Ashnigh had to run to catch up with him. _

"_Lai!" She grabbed his shoulder. "Lai wait!"_

"_GET AWAY FROM ME!" With a swift push from Lai, Ashnigh staggered back and felt herself lose her footing on the ice bridge. _

"_HELP!" she screamed and grabbed the edge of the bride. The other guardians rushed to her side to help her up, but Lai didn't move. _

"_What's the matter with you!" the man from before asked. "Don't you love her!"_

"_She never supported me," Lai snarled. "Why should I love such a traitor?" He turned his back on Ashnigh._

"That's…when I turned my back on him too…" Ashnigh spoke softly.

"_I hate you."_

_Lai turned back, as did the other guardians towards Ashnigh who had just spoken. "I hate you," she said again, tears now flowing down her hot face. "I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" With that, she ran down the ice bridge, leaving all of the guardians and her former love alone._

"After that…" Ashnigh spoke softly. "I learned that Lai and the others had been found dead on the snowy mountains of Gagazet…" Tears came to her eyes again this time forcing their way out. "And I could've prevented it!" She cried, her fists clenched. "The last thing I ever said to him was that I never wanted to see him again!" She didn't try to wipe the tears as they kept falling. "IT'S ALL MY FAULT LAI'S DEAD!"

"Ashnigh!" Lairon grabbed her arms and Ashnigh stopped crying suddenly. "Don't beat yourself up! It's…it's not your fault at all! You made the choice anyone would have made!" Lairon looked at her face and she blinked. "Lai didn't love you…not really. But…" His face moved very close to hers, and Ashnigh knew what was coming. "I do."

And then he kissed her. (Okay, everyone: 1, 2, 3, Everyone: Awwwwwwww… Me: Little do they know what awaits them…how I love to play with their tiny and un-knowing minds…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ...umm…YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT!) Ashnigh's eyes widened as she felt his lips press against hers, but she didn't stop him. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. _'He…he kisses me…just like Lai used to.'

* * *

_

"Where's Ashingh?" Adrian asked as the party-goers started to leave. Their ranks dispersing, the group of guardians had assembled. Only Ashnigh was missing. "Did anyone see her leave the party?"

The group looked at each other, all shaking their heads.

"I know whereths sheths went!" The group looked behind them to see none other then Briu coming forward, as drunk as one could get, holding another bottle of wine in his hand. "She wenths upstairs with thatsh Lairon guy!"

"You're so drunk you don't know what you're talking about," Adrian said. "Like Ashnigh would actually fall for a guy that easi-"

"Oh, hi guys." The group looked up to see Ashnigh coming down the stairs, led by Lairon. Adrian's eyes widened as she looked at the man.

"L-Lai…"

"Lairon," Ashnigh corrected. "Guys, this is Lairon."

"Ashnigh…" Adrian looked at her. "He…he…"

"Looks just like Lai? I know, but believe me," Ashnigh assured her. "He treats me much better then Lai did."

"Treats you…does that mean that…you and him are?" Juka asked.

"That's right," Lairon took Ashnigh by the waist. "Ashnigh and I have just consented to-"

"I…I haven't decided anything yet…" Ashnigh pulled out of Lairon's hold. "I'm just not ready yet…it was just one kiss."

"WHAT!" A harsh voice came from the top of the stairs and everyone knew who it was. Sprinting, Katrina ran down the stairs to face Lairon. Albatross followed her, looking slightly put out. Katrina's wounds were now bandaged. "What do you mean Lairon!"

"I kissed Ashnigh," Lairon told her.

"B-but…but you're in love with me!" Katrina told him.

"Katrina…" Ashnigh said softly.

"Don't you dare!" Katrina warned her. "You SLUT! Going around and kissing any guy that you meet! Especially when he's taken! I ought to kill you!"

SMACK.

Katrina fell back as Adrian's had made contact with her face. "How dare you…" she snarled. "How dare you insult Ashnigh that way! I'm the one who ought to kill you!"

"Adrian…" Ashnigh spoke softly.

"I apologize for Katrina's behavior," Albatross stepped forward, sighing. "C'mon you two, we've got to keep moving. Maester Mika wants me at his manor in Bevelle by tomorrow afternoon."

"Will we see you guys again?" Juka asked and Albatross smiled at her.

"Of course…we'll be seeing lots of each other, I'm sure."

"Goodbye Ashnigh…" Lairon smiled. "I…I hope that…I'll get an answer from you soon."

"I'll do my best," Ashnigh smiled at him. "I just need to think things over."

Katrina looked at both Adrian and then at Tiffa. "Hey you…" she snarled at Tiffa. "You only beat me because you used those forbidden machina! If you hadn't had those I would've won! I'll get my rematch."

With that, the three of them walked out of the manor. "Goodbye but not farewell!" Albatross waved, smiling widely as the doors closed behind them.

"Those wounds…forbidden machina…" Ashnigh looked at Tiffa. "Tiffa! Did you use those guns against Miss Katrina?"

"So what if I did?" Tiffa asked.

"It's forbidden machina!" Ashnigh told her. "Made by the Al Bhed!"

"So what if they are!"

"I don't see why you're so intent on defending them when they defy the teachings of Yevon!" Ashnigh snapped.

"I don't see why you're so intent on persecuting them!" Tiffa screamed. "Along with the rest of Spira!"

"Look…I'm not in the mood," Adrian snapped. "Let's get out of these clothes. We rest the night, and then…"

"Then what?" Juka asked.

"And then, we go on."

* * *

THE END! FINALLY! Holy crap that was a long chapter.

I hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to vote!

Next chapter: White Wings Part II


	11. White Wings Part II

Notes: Man…sigh this has been awhile hasn't it?

Readers: YEAH, IT HAS!

Sorry! My bad, but school and graduation has been catching up with all of us, and that leaves me less time then ever to write fanfiction.

But I'm back with Chapter 11 of our favorite story: Shades of Wings! We're already into the Part IIs! How happy am I? Very happy!

Now! Please fasten your seatbelts, cause it's going to be an AWFULLY bumpy ride!

Don't forget! The favorite character contests is still going on! Please send in your votes! The results are as follows:

Tiffa: 1  
Juka: 1  
Luna: 1  
Kevi: 1 (I think you meant Kevi. Briu doesn't have an axe ;.;)

* * *

Chapter 11: White Wings Part II 

It was the morning, and the group had already consented to leave Maester Seymour's manor as soon as possible.

But soon as possible turned out to be not so soon…

"WHERE'S MY SKIRT? ADRIAN, I KNOW YOU TOOK IT!"

"Why would I take your tacky skirt?" Adrian asked Juka, throwing her tunic over her black top.

"IT IS NOT TACKY!"

"We're already late!" Tiffa snapped to Juka as she ran around wearing only her pajama pants and indigo top.

"Found it!" Juka laughed, slipping on the skirt. "Let's go! Sorry to hold everyone up!"

"I don't wanna go…" Luna mumbled into her pillow. She still had not woken from the party last night and she was snuggled comfortably under the covers of her guest bed, still in her dress. "I wanna sleep…"

"LUNA! Get up!" Adrian gave her a sharp kick and Luna sprawled out of bed, un-phased and still asleep.

"This is disgraceful," Tiffa shook her head.

"Luna, get up!" Adrian shook her and Luna opened one eye.

"Fine, fine! Man…a girl can't get a wink of beauty sleep around this joint." She got up, waved her finger, and was instantly in her traveling clothes. "Ready."

"I wish I could do that…" Juka said enviously. "Then I'd never lose my skirt."

"C'mon!" Adrian snapped. "Time to get out the guys! We're leaving right away!"

* * *

"It is a shame to see you leave so soon Master Briu," Tromell sighed, bowing to the group of guys. Briu smiled at Tromell. "But, I am very happy that you have finally been able to become a guardian, as you planned." 

"Where's Seymour, Tromell?" Briu asked.

"I'm afraid Maester Seymour is gone seeing Lord Albatross and his guardian party through the Thunder Plains," Tromell apologized. "He says he was most sorry to see you go."

"Ah, no prob," Briu winked. "Tell him he owes me a drinking contest."

"I shall be sure to do so," Tromell laughed.

"We're here guys," Tiffa announced as the five girls walked down the stairs. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Please tell me that Maester Seymour isn't here…" Adrian grimaced.

"He isn't," Spiler assured her and she gave a huge sigh of relief as she almost skipped down the steps. "Just left with Albatross, Ashnigh's boyfriend and that bitch."

"He's not my boyfriend! And the word "bitch" is crude," Ashnigh reminded him, blushing red. "He's not…"

Adrian flashed Ashnigh another look, but Ashnigh chose to ignore it. Adrian sighed and bowed to Tromell. "Thank you for your hospitality, we shall be leaving very soon for the Moonflow."

"Leaving already?" Tromell asked. "Perhaps you should stay awhile. Guadosalam has many wonderful sightseeing opportunities."

"We're not tourists, we're on a pilgrimage."

"Of course Lady Adrian, it was not my place to intrude," Tromell gave an apologetic bow and Adrian turned to the door.

"C'mon Adrian, let's stay!" Spiler begged.

"Yeah, I'm still warn out from the party!" Juka insisted.

"My feeties hurt," Luna reminded her.

"What would it hurt?" Kevi asked, shrugging. "And shouldn't we visit the Farplane while we're here?"

"I think we should leave."

A voice from the back of the room echoed with a stern call. The group turned their heads to see it was Briu that had spoken. He was looking at his shoes. "I think…we should leave," he repeated.

"Kevi is right," Adrian sighed. "It's only…respectful to visit the Farplane."

"I don't want to go," Briu said, sitting down on the stairs. "I'll stay here with Tromell."

"Master Briu, you cannot hide in Maester Seymour's mansion forever," Tromell reminded him, trying to urge the young man up. "Go out and prove your loyalty to your summoner."

"Is there something we should know about?" Adrian asked sternly, looking at Briu.

"I just don't want to go outside, okay?" Briu asked. "I thought we would just…leave."

"A short trip to the Farplane, then we're out," Ashnigh assured him, walking over to him. "Shouldn't you be happy to be back in your home?"

"I'm not a bit happy…" Briu scowled. "I hate this place."

There was a pause as Briu looked at his shoes, his bangs covering his eyes. "I want to leave and never come back. That's why I became a guardian."

"Well, I don't really care about your sob story of a life," Adrian said, throwing open the doors of the mansion. "We're going to the Farplane and that's final."

And with that, she sauntered out of the mansion and into the main square of Guadosalam. The entire group looked after her, then, slowly, Kevi stepped out, then Ashnigh, then Luna and Spiler, then Tai and Tiffa. Juka was the last to go. She turned around to Briu. "C'mon, Briu. Let's go."

"I'm…coming…" he stood up and walked slowly outside, looking back into the mansion as if it was his final look at heaven.

* * *

"See, was that so bad?" Ashnigh teased. 

"Not yet," Briu mumbled. "Just wait."

"Hey guys!" a few voice from above their heads picked up. The entire group looked up to see a group of three young Guado men on a tree branch road above them. They ran down, smirking jauntily. "It's Briu!"

"Hey Briu, what's going on?"

Briu didn't respond.

"Nice get-up you got there," one of them stepped closer, only to have Briu step back. "Where'd you get the spear? From a Ronso?" The entire group laughed and Briu blushed a soft pink.

"No, he probably just asked his summoner for one," another one laughed and the others chortled with him.

"Don't you have any respect for Spira's summoners?" Adrian asked, stepping forward in front of the young men.

"O-of course milady," one bowed. "But…we don't know why you would pick a useless Guado like Briu to be in your troupe."

Briu's face scrunched up in anger. "After all, at school he always failed when it came to magic and enchantments. He's nothing like the rest of us Guado."

"Well, I guess that some are just born dumb," another laughed. "With all due respect, it was a poor choice."

"Oh?" Adrian asked. "And a better choice?"

"Anyone but him, that's for sure!"

"I've got an idea," Adrian said, still as stern as ever. "How about all three of you take on Briu here? The winner will get to be my guardian, or, if you wish, exclude Briu from the troupe."

The guys looked at each other and smiled. "Sure thing! Anything to humiliate that freak."

"Adrian!" Tiffa whispered. "Three against one? That's hardly fair!"

"It'll be a sanctioned match of course," Adrian told them. "Fatalities are not an option."

"Fine by us," one of them smirked. "But don't expect us to be in your troupe or anything milady, we're just going to make sure that this idiot knows his place amongst us Guado."

"Oh, believe me…" The group turned their heads to see Briu slowly taking out his long spear. "I've known my place since the day I was born."

"Enough talk!" One snarled. "Time to fight!"

"HYAH!" Briu launched forward, but he was too slow. All three of them moved their hands in an intricate pattern, mumbling words under their breath.

"Perfect Guard!" they said simultaneously and a shining barrier enclosed around them. Briu's spear harmlessly scrapped the side of the shield. He backed off, staring at the three.

"That's cheating!"

"Just because you can't do a speck of magic doesn't mean it's cheating!" One laughed. "FIRA!"

"ARGH!" Briu fell to his knees, scorched by the spell. "Damn…" he snarled.

"BLIZZARA!" Briu ducked out of the way just in time as the spell rifled towards him, sending him half-way across the square.

"Man…" Briu shook his head.

"See! Brute force is useless against our magic!" one insisted. "You can wave your dumb weapon all you want, but you can't touch us!"

"Who says I'm going to flail?" Briu smirked, and in a second, he was gone.

"What the?" One asked, looking around. "Where'd he go?"

"Behind you!" Briu pressed his hand into the back of one of his opponents and yelled, "COPY IMAGE!" A blinding flash of light from a smoke bomb Briu threw was created, and out of the smoke, two identical Guado emerged, coughing.

"What the?" One of the remaining two asked. "What did he do? That's go to be advanced magic!"

"It's no magic!" Juka called from the sidelines. "It's his special ability! No chants involved!"

"No problem!" The other one snarled. "We'll just figure out which one is Briu and clobber him!"

"But how do we find out?" the other one asked.

"It's me you idiots!" One of the identical Guado called.

"No, it's me! He's really Briu!" the other one pointed accusingly.

"How can we tell?" one of the Guado asked again.

"I know!" his companion smirked. "Briu's so useless at magic, let's ask him to cast a spell only the real one would know!" He pointed at the first Guado. "Cast Perfect Guard on yourself! That way we'll know!"

"Great plan," he nodded and waved his hands. "Perfect Guard!" The shield erupted around him and he cast the spell.

"See! The other one's Briu!" the first Guado pointed. "Get him!"

"No, wait, you're making a mistake!" The other identical one called as all three converged on him.

"FIRA!"

"BLIZZARA!"

"THUNDARA!"

Multiple forces hit the Guado, knocking him senseless onto the ground. He was obviously unconscious. "Ha!" one laughed. "That proves it! We win!"

"Think again idiots," the next thing the two knew, they had slashes from a spear on their backs and they were on the floor, bleeding. As they turned around, they found none other then Briu standing over them, smirking triumphantly.

"Wh-what? How'd you do that! We just pummeled you to a pulp!"

"Wrong! You pummeled your teammate to a pulp!" Briu laughed. "Copy Image gives me the abilities and traits of whatever I copy. It was easy to find that spell in that doofus's memory! And now…" he held his spear to one Guado's throat. "I win."

"No way!" the other one said, trying to stand up. "You only won because of that dumb ability! Where did you learn that anyway?"

"From years of training, that's what," Briu growled. "You see, I don't like learning to fight in a stuffy classroom with the rest of you nerds. I went out to the Thunder Plains and destroyed fiends. Finally, I learned that I could channel my Guado energy into copying the traits of the fiends and enemies."

"Y-you mean your Guado energy is what makes that possible?"

"Yeah, kind of ironic, eh?" Briu said, arching his eyebrow. "Now, you lost. Get out of the way. We're heading to the Farplane."

"Ye-yes! Whatever you want!" The two picked up their fallen comrade and quickly ran under the tree branches into the residential part of the city. After they had gone, the group cheered loudly for their victorious Guado.

"I knew you could do it!" Juka cheered.

"Briu, Briu, he's our Guado, if no one can do it…uhh…" Luna stopped and looked at her doll for help with the rhyme. "I dunno! Nothing rhymes with "Guado"!"

"Good job, man," Kevi nodded to Briu and Tai followed suit.

"No one will be bothering you anymore now that you kick major ass!" Spiler said, throwing his arm around Briu.

"Enough of the fun activities," Adrian commanded. "It's time we head to the Farplane."

* * *

The End! Hope you all enjoyed it! Especially Brian! Kick butt! Oh yeah! You'd BETTER get some votes after this awesome battle scene! 

Sammy-

Next Chapter: Lavender Wings Part II


	12. Lavender Wings Part II

Shades of Wings – Lavender Wings Part II

Hi everyone! This is Sammy-- here with Chapter 12! I hope you enjoy it! Don't forget to vote in the popularity poll!The results stand as follows:

Tiffa: 1  
Luna:1  
Kevi: 1  
Juka: 1  
Spiler: 1  
Tai: 1

It's a six way tie, so get those votes in!

Anyway, now it's time for the next chapter of our favorite story!

Group: This isn't my favorite story…

SILENCE!

* * *

Lavender Wings Part II

"After that fiasco…" Adrian sighed, shaking her head at Briu who was wiping the blood off his spear. "Shall we head to the Farplane?"

"I guess," Kevi shrugged. "It's only respectful."

"The Farplane?" Tiffa asked. "Isn't that where the memories of the dead react to the pyreflies?"

"No," Ashnigh snapped. "It's where the dead gather after they have been sent."

"Yeah, if you want to believe THAT fairytale."

"If you don't want to go in, no one is stopping you," Ashnigh said briskly as she walked up the road towards the Farplane. Tiffa sighed and followed her, along with the rest of the group.

"I think I'll wait outside," Tiffa sighed.

"Me too!" Luna nodded. "I don't want to go into the scary place fulla dead people!" She grasped her hat and started to shake. "Sccaaarry!"

"We'll be out quick," Adrian assured them. "I don't have time to waste looking for dead remnants."

"Ahh, Lady Adrian and guardians," the Guado guarding the Farplane gate bowed and let the group in. "Please, I'm sorry to ask, but pray for our dear Lord Jyscal. His spirit is still resting."

"Of course," Adrian curtsied, but kept her terse tone. "Come on everyone."

"And this is where Luna and I take our leave," Tiffa smiled as the group reached the multi-colored entrance of the Farplane. Tiffa sat down on a ridge and Luna started jumping around the walkway. "Enjoy your memories."

"You mean the spirits of our loved ones," Ashnigh retorted and Tiffa didn't respond. The group walked into the gate, leaving the two behind.

* * *

"Woah!" Juka gasped. "This place is huge!" The group found itself on a floating platform, surrounded the gardens of the Farplane. People were already situated, praying to the images of their dead loved ones that appeared.

"You've never been to the Farplane?" Adrian asked and Juka blushed.

"Uhh…yeah, not really."

"Not really? Funny, I've never been to the half-assed Farplane."

"Oh shut up!"

Ashnigh broke the heated tension by walking over to an empty spot and kneeling. The group quietly dispersed to their own spots, Juka going last to one near the entrance.

Adrian kneeled down next to Ashnigh as she prayed. Ashnigh looked up at Adrian and smiled. "You're not going to pray Adrian?"

"I'd rather not," Adrian sighed. "My dead ones aren't exactly loved."

"Look," Ashnigh pointed as the image of a blue haired young man appeared. "It's Lai."

"Is this the first time you've seen him…since…well…"

"Since he died?" Ashnigh finished and Adrian nodded. "No, I came here the day after I found out just to prove it wasn't true. But…" she sighed, as if choking back tears. "There he was, and I knew that he was really dead."

"Ashnigh…" Adrian looked sympathetically toward her friend.

"I remember," Ashnigh laughed, "that time when you were just five and Lai came to the temple with his family."

"_Ashnigh…" a small Adrian, short with curly blonde hair and dark black eyes, tugged at an eleven year old Ashnigh's skirt. "Who's that?"_

"_I don't know," Ashnigh smiled at Adrian as a boy about Ashnigh's age, if not a little older, came into the room. He had short blue hair and was wearing green robes. "Let's go introduce ourselves."_

_The two walked over, Adrian keeping a sharp eye on the boy, not breaking her stony face. Ashnigh tapped the boy on his shoulder, and he turned around. "Hi!" she smiled and waved. "I'm Ashnigh, and this is Adrian. I'm eleven, and she's five."_

"_I'm Lai…" he mumbled. "And I'm twelve. That means I'm older than you."_

"_Yeah, so?" Adrian snapped and Ashnigh patted her on the head, much to her dismay. _

"_Do you want to play with us, Lai?"_

"_No," he snapped, and turned away. "I don't play with girls. I'm not your baby sitter."_

"_Why did you come here then?" Ashnigh asked. "Are you training to be a priest?"  
_

"_No," he shook his head and smirked. "I'm going to be a summoner and defeat Sin! I came here for training!"_

"_Wow, that's so cool!" Ashnigh beamed. "Have you already chosen your guardians?"  
_

"_My brother's going to go with me," Lai bragged. "He's seventeen now, but he's going to be even older when I go on my pilgrimage!"_

"_How about us?" Ashnigh asked and Lai looked up, surprised. "Can we be your guardians?"  
_

_Lai looked at Ashnigh and then blushed the color of her hair. "Well…usually, I wouldn't want whiny girls on my pilgrimage…but…if you're really, really, REALLY nice to me, then maybe I'll consider it."  
_

"_I don't want to be a guardian on your dumb pilgrimage anyway!" Adrian stomped her foot. "I'm going to be a summoner and beat Sin! And Ashnigh's going with me, not you!" She tugged at Ashnigh's sleeve. "Right, Ashnigh?"  
_

"_I'll go with both of you," Ashnigh smiled at Adrian and then looked up at Lai. "Right?"_

"_R-right…"_

"He totally had a crush on you," Adrian sighed, shaking her head. "Pretending like he didn't like girls…the idiot."

"He was a little swelled in the ego department," Ashnigh laughed. "But he got over it quick."

"Especially…when…" Adrian looked up in the sky and a tall man with blackish blue hair and a wide grin appeared. "Especially when his brother died."

"_Fiends are attacking the temple!" _

"_Everyone run!"_

"_Get to the shelters!"_

_All chaos had broken loose. A band of fiends had placed the city of Bevelle under siege and had already broken through a line of guards. Summoners were outside the city walls, summoning the Fayth to help them in their battle. _

"_Adrian, quick!" Ashnigh, now aged fifteen, led the nine year old Adrian through the hot and frantic halls toward shelter. "We've got to run!"_

"_No!" Adrian snapped her wrist back. "I'm a summoner, I've got to go!"_

"_No you're not!" Ashnigh grabbed her again. "You're still in training!"_

"_Ashnigh!" Adrian pleaded, but Ashnigh kept running, Adrian in tow. _

"_After we round this corner we should – OW!" The two fell back as they ran into a tall figure running the other direction. _

"_Makeal!" Ashnigh smiled as the two stared up at a tall man with blackish blue hair wearing sunglasses and totting a long sword with an intricate blue hilt. He smiled and helped the two up. "Are you okay? Where's Lai?"  
_

"_My little bro's in the shelter," Makeal told them. "You two better get down there too."_

"_Where are you going?" Adrian asked._

"_To fight of course," Makeal smiled. "What, you think that I could seriously call myself a guardian to Lai if I don't help fend off the fiends this time?"  
_

"_Be careful!" Ashnigh pleaded. "Lai would be devastated if you were lost!"_

"_Hey!" Makeal laughed, lifting his sword onto his shoulder. "You're talking like I'm going to get my head chopped off out there! Don't you have some faith in me, girls?" _

"W-We do," Ashnigh nodded. "Good luck! Praise be to Yevon," she flashed him the Yevon prayer and he returned the sign, smiling behind his glasses.

"During the battle, we watched in the shelter through a window," Adrian recalled, kicking a rock off the edge of the platform and watching it fall into the garden. "Makeal took down a lot of fiends."

"That is…until that one came…" Ashnigh bit her lip. "He never even saw it coming before it slashed him in the back."

"I'll never forget Lai's face…" Adrian shook her head. "And then…"

"_ANIMA, COME FORTH!" The Earth shook, and Ashnigh, face streaked with tears, grabbed Adrian and shielded her from falling furniture. Lai stood next to the two, still completely dumbstruck. Out of the ground outside the shelter, a blood red energy rose from the earth and chains that seemed to come from the heavens pulled at the energy swirling in the abyss. The chains lifted a huge malicious figure from the ground, bound by chains and roaring with pain and anguish. _

"_What…is that?" Adrian asked, her eyes wide with curiosity and surprise._

_The figure, dark and foreboding, stared down at the fiends, and a glint started to appear in its eye. It gave a low roar and in an instant, the fiends exploded into tiny particles of dust as the light from the creature's eye shot into each and every fiend._

"_Who…could control such a creature?" Ashnigh asked, trembling. _

"We never found out," Ashnigh sighed. "That thing was brought back to its master and we never saw it again."

"We beat the fiends, but Lai lost his brother," Adrian sighed. "That's when he really started to hit the books when it came to Summoner training."

"You did too," Ashnigh reminded Adrian and she blushed. "I think it was because you wanted to find out what that thing was that was summoned."

"It interested me…" Adrian nodded.

"I think that's when I started to fall for Lai," Ashnigh smiled to herself. "Remember that time that you slept in my room and we ate chocolate that I stole from the cooks?"

"Correction: You ate chocolate. I hate sweets."

"Anyway…" Ashnigh stared Adrian down, wanting to continue with the story.

"_Hey Adrian, you'll never guess what I have to tell you," Ashnigh grinned. She was now aged about sixteen or seventeen and had shorter hair in a sort of bobbed cut. _

"_What?" Adrian asked, looking up from her book. Adrian was about eleven, and had just added the black streaks into her now longer blonde hair. "What is it Ashnigh?"  
_

"_Lai helped me carry my books to acolyte training today!"_

"…_so?"_

"_What do you mean "so"?" Ashnigh blushed. "I think that he likes me! Could you believe that? Lai and me together?"_

"_I don't really care," Adrian shrugged, returning to her book._

"_We've been friends for so long," Ashnigh sighed, putting another piece of chocolate into her mouth and chewing slowly. "It would be really weird if we got together. And anyway, he's going to be a summoner, so he probably doesn't want a girlfriend." Ashnigh paused and blinked a few times. "Or…or what if…or what if he likes someone else! There's Uho, and-and Miki and, and, and no, he wouldn't like Wara, would he?"  
_

"_What are you rambling about?" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you ask him if he has a girlfriend?" _

"Then he'll totally know!"

"_Know what?"  
_

"_Know that I like-" Ashnigh put her hand to her mouth, knowing she'd said too much. Adrian's smirk grew wide as she turned around to face her friend. "Don't look at me that way Adrian."_

"_Look at you what way?" Adrian asked, trying to hold in a laugh._

"_That way!" Ashnigh laughed, chucking a pillow at Adrian. Adrian grabbed the pillow and chucked it back at Ashnigh. Ashnigh snatched the pillow, then another, and soon the two were engaged in a full out pillow fight._

"That was so immature." Adrian rolled her eyes. "Of course, I was eleven years old."

"I thought that would be your reaction to that story," Ashnigh said, shaking her head back and forth. "You never liked to have any fun."

"Fun gets in the way," Adrian sighed, standing up. "Ashnigh, enough trips down memory lane, I have something to ask you."

"You're going to ask me about Lairon, aren't you?" Ashnigh sighed, standing up next to Adrian and looking down at her shoes. "Adrian, it was just a kiss."

"But you enjoyed it, didn't you?" Adrian asked and Ashnigh blushed, refusing to look Adrian in the eye. "Ashnigh, you know how I feel about men, love, and kissing. All are horribly pointless. But, I was never like you. You are a kind and gentle person who seems to have been made to love someone."

"I'm just not sure," Ashnigh shook her head.

"Did you enjoy being with Lairon?" Adrian asked and Ashnigh nodded. "Then I think that it be best that you be with him."

"B-but Lai…"

"Lai wouldn't want you to remain his forever," Adrian shook her head. "Chained to an invisible rock."

"I'll think about it," Ashnigh assured Adrian.

"I still don't approve," Adrian told Ashnigh. "Even if it's for the best. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Thanks Adrian," Ashnigh smiled and gave Adrian a hug, much to her dismay.

"No touchie!" Adrian slid back, her eyes wide and her eyebrows arched. "Thanks for the talk, I'm going to see how the others are doing."

* * *

The End of the chapter! Don't forget to review AND vote!

Anyway! Stay tuned folks, cause it's going to get EVEN hairier from here!

Next Chapter: Black Wings Part II

And now, for something never seen in SOW history! A…

PREVIEW!

Preview of Next Chapter:

Adrian reveals the secrets of her past through the spirits of the Farplane! What secrets do her past hold and how do they relate to the people that have passed away from her life? The guardians are about to learn more about their summoner than they ever imagined!

Next Chapter: Black Wings Part II


	13. Black Wings Part II

Shades of Wings: Chapter 13 – Black Wings Part II

A quick update here! Please enjoy! I know I will!

The popularity contest is going strong and it's a five way tie! Don't forget to keep voting! Only seven more chapters until the winner is announced, so get those votes in!

* * *

"Hey," Adrian motioned to Tai who looked up from his kneeled position. Adrian joined him, kneeling down and offering a silent prayer.

"Uhh…hi Adrian," Tai gulped. "Whatcha doing here?"

"Can't a summoner pray with her guardian without being questioned?" Adrian snapped and Tai reddened, returning to his prayers. "I thought so. Who are you talking to?"

"My Great-Grandpa. He died when I was four."

"I see," Adrian smiled. "That him?" she pointed to a man with gray hair and a bright smiled. Surprisingly, he actually looked slightly like Tai due to blotchy freckles on his face.

"Y-yeah…that's him." Tai smiled up at the man and the man smiled back. "Hey Adrian, what about you?"

"What do you mean 'what about me'?" Adrian asked.

"Who are you praying to?" Tai asked and Adrian shrugged.

"No one. My dead ones aren't exactly loved."

"What about your family?" Tai asked. "You do have a family right?"

"The term 'family' is relative," reminded Adrian. "What would you consider a 'family'?"

Tai looked a little taken aback by the question. "Uhh…I guess a group of people that love each other and look after one another."

"Hmm…well, by your definition, I have no family," Adrian told him.

"What about your parents?"

Adrian gave a short bitter laugh. "My parents? Don't make me laugh!"

"They're probably not dead but-"

"They're dead."

Tai's eyes widened. "Wh-what? When did they die?"

"A few years ago," Adrian told him. A long elegant finger pointed up and Tai gasped to see two people, a man and a woman standing in front of them. The woman, shorter then the man, had long elegant flowing chestnut brown hair and black eyes. She wore heavy makeup and a long red dress with no sleeves. Next to her was a man with short blonde slicked back hair (like Draco all you HP fans! ) that was glowering at the two. He wore an elegant outfit made up of long pants and a heavy black top. "Those are my parents. Or at least how they looked when they died."

"How old were you?" Tai asked, offering a soft prayer to the two.

"Fifteen, and don't pray to those spawns of hell." Tai looked up at Adrian to see her eyes narrowed at the two. "They wouldn't recognize me now."

"You look like your father…" Tai offered. "Your hair and your face I mean. You've got your mother's eyes."

"I would rather have looked like Sin," Adrian snarled.

"You really hate them that much?" Tai asked, looking slightly hurt. "I can't imagine hating my dad that much…"

"My parents…" Adrian murmured. "Were not loving people by any means."

"_Mother…Father…" a small Adrian, about seven walked into a room lavished with an expensive carpet and plush armchairs. Her parents were sitting together, drinking expensive alcohol. They turned with annoyance towards their daughter. _

"_What do you want?" her mother snapped. _

"_Adrian, we specifically told you not to bother us when we're in the parlor," her father drawled._

"_I've finished unpacking my things…"_

"_I don't see why you bother," her mother sighed, draining her glass. "You're going back to the temple in a few weeks. You only come home once a year. And in my opinion that's still too much."_

"_Now, dear, don't be so harsh," Adrian's father smirked, obviously not upset with his wife at all. "Adrian, leave us. Go and play with your toys. Your mother just bought you a new set of dolls."_

"_Yes, father…" Adrian closed the door behind them, not looking back._

"They gave me whatever I wanted," Adrian said to Tai. "Except for love that is. I had a room full of dolls, toys, whatever I asked for. They thought that it would distract me from actually spending time with them.

"I moved to live in the temple when I was four and only went home once a year. It was still too much," Adrian sighed. "I'm sorry, I've bored you." She stood up and eyed Spiler out of the corner of her eye. "I'm going to see Spiler, see you."

Tai looked after her, not knowing whether to call out anything to her or not.

* * *

"Hello," Adrian nodded to Spiler who backed off a little seeing his morbid summoner pop up behind him. "Your prayers are well I hope?"

"I-I guess," Spiler shrugged. "Just praying to a distant uncle. Died last month; never got to the funeral."

"Do you mind?" Adrian asked and Spiler nodded. She stepped next to him and offered a prayer to the farplane.

"You got any dead on your hands?" Spiler asked and Adrian sighed.

"You don't want to know."

"I'm bored."

"Not bored enough," Adrian narrowed her eyes and a terse old woman appeared before the two. She had her silver hair gathered in a bun, and her eyes were narrow. "That's my witch of a grandmother."

"Bad story?" Spiler asked and she nodded.

"You really want to hear it?"

"I got time."

"Not enough time for this."

"_Seriously Yaira!" Adrian's grandmother commented to Adrian's mother as she paced the living room. "Getting pregnant like that! What are you supposed to do with…with that thing?"_

"_How am I supposed to know?" Adrian's mother sighed, rolling her eyes, obviously not liking the nagging she was receiving from her mother. _

"_And now that the thing is born what are you going to do with her?" she asked. "Put her up for adoption?"  
_

"_I wish," Adrian's mother sighed. "Think of the disgrace to the family. Unplanned child birth and adoption? No, we'll have to keep her."_

"_What did you name her?" Adrian's grandmother asked. _

"_Adrian…"_

"_My middle name? I'm disgraced," her grandmother spat into a nearby trashbin. "Just kill the dumb thing!"_

"_Mother, I never asked for your opinion…" Adrian's mother drawled, popping open a bottle of wine and drinking it. "So if you would please mind your own damn business."_

"_Fine! But just wait, that little worm will only bring ruin!" _

"My grandmother told me everything she had said…" Adrian spoke slowly. "Maybe she liked to see me squirm. I never showed any form of emotion though. But deep down I really loathed her."

"Woah…" Spiler spoke, a look of shock on his face. "Th-that's horrible."

"That's just the beginning," Adrian sighed, shaking her head. "My grandmother only popped by to criticize me or my mother. That's one thing my mother and I had in common. We both hated my grandmother."

"But you're named after her," Spiler reminded.

"So?" Adrian asked. "My parents were just being lazy, that's all."

"She sounds like a bitch…"

"She was," Adrian sighed. "End of subject. I'm moving on."

"B-bye Adrian," Spiler waved after her as she walked off. "Man…"

* * *

"Got time?" Adrian asked Briu, who jumped out of his prayer. Briu welcomed her next to him and she obliged him.

"I was just saying hi to Lord Jyscal…" Briu chewed his lip. "But I can't find his spirit. Think he's restless?"

"Perhaps," said Adrian. "Spirits can grow restless, even in the Farplane."

"It seems odd though," Briu commented and Adrian nodded. There was a silence, as if the conversation had halted due to lack of things to say. Briu shifted his feet awkwardly, not looking Adrian in the eye. "So…uhh…yeah."

"That's all you can come up with?" Adrian asked, an amused smirk decorating her face.

"Well, it's awkward when you just walk over here and don't say anything," Briu pointed out. Adrian threw her head back in a low laugh.

"I guess you're right. I like your choice of words. 'Awkward'…"

"So, who are you praying for?"

"Your conversation skills."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"Actually, you remind me of someone," Adrian smiled, rest her head on her hand.

"Really? Who?"

"Her." Adrian pointed up and Briu followed her finger to see the image of a tall woman with auburn hair cut short wearing a long blue skirt and short-sleeved canvas top. She was smiling at Adrian, her white teeth showing. "My aunt."

"Your aunt? She looks so young…" Briu said sympathetically. "Did Sin get her? Or was it an accident?"

"Sin," Adrian nodded to Briu. "Doesn't everyone lose a relative or a loved one to Sin? But, really, Sin may have killed her physically, but her spirit died long before that."

"What happened?" he asked, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"Now that you've asked it is," Adrian reminded him and he blushed a light pink. "Once you butt your nose into someone's life, it officially becomes your business."

"So…does that mean I have the right to ask?"

"I suppose."

"What…what happened?"

"My aunt," Adrian explained. "Was most likely, my only blood family member who ever loved me. She was my mother's younger sister; you can probably tell because they have the same structure and face. But my mother was nothing like my aunt. My aunt immediately broke off from the Lexingtons the second she had the chance."

"Why?" Briu asked.

"Not only did she not like my grandmother or my mother very much," Adrian sighed, "but she went against the family wishes."

"_A Crusader?" Adrian's mother spat in disgust as Adrian's Aunt stood in front of the door in the large elaborate room, looking at her sister straight in the eyes. "You're actually going to marry a Crusader?"_

"_Yes…we met last year in Besaid," she explained to her sister. "He asked me to marry him, and I plan to say yes."_

"_He'll never amount to anything!" Adrian's mother snapped cruelly. Adrian's grandmother stood in the back, looking out the window silently. "And he'll most likely just be killed by Sin! What's the point?"_

"_The point is that I love him!" Adrian's Aunt cried to her sister. "And we're getting married…two weeks from now. I didn't come here for your abuse…I hoped you would give us your blessing…"_

"_Take this as my 'blessing'!" Adrian's mother threw her glass of liquid in her sister's face, and Adrian's Aunt did not flinch as the red wine dripped slowly down her hair and face. "Get out of my sight!"_

_Adrian's Aunt turned to open the door, only to be cut off by the shrill voice of her mother from the window. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"_

_She stopped, her eyes wide as she turned back to her mother. Adrian's grandmother had now turned around and was looking at her younger daughter with complete contempt. "You're pregnant with his child."_

"_What!" Adrian's mother roared, throwing herself to her feet. "I see! You hooked up with this loser; you're pregnant, and now you fell you've got to marry him!"_

"_NO!" She cried, tears now pooling in her eyes. "You don't understand! We're not getting married because of the baby! He proposed to me before he knew!"_

"_You slutty bitch!" Adrian's mother's hand made a sharp crack across her younger sister's face, sending her to the ground. "You're having a child with that filth!"_

"_Stop it!" her Aunt cried. "Stop saying these things! You're my sister!"_

"_You are no sister of mine," Adrian's mother snarled, turning her back on Adrian's Aunt. "Get out of my sight."_

"_Mother!"_

"_I am no longer your mother." Adrian's Aunt's eyes grew wide as her mother turned her back to her to face the window again. "You are now nothing to me. Just a scrap of dust in the wind. Leave this house at once."_

_Adrian's Aunt's lip quivered, then, she turned, opened the door, and shut it quietly behind her._

"They did get married," Adrian told Briu. "And that's what gave me hope for the future. She was able to resist my horrible family; even after all they had done to her. My Aunt always loved me; whenever she came over, before the incident that is, she would always play with me and hug me." Adrian's eyes grew foggy, as if she was remembering those times.

"But, five months later," she explained. "Sin attacked, and she, her husband, and her unborn baby were all killed."

"That's horrible…" Briu whispered.

"Yes, it was," Adrian nodded. "Horribly unfair."

"I…I don't know what to say…"

"Then don't say anything. Usually those that don't know how to use their words end up misusing them." Adrian looked over her shoulder to see Kevi standing by himself, staring at the empty Farplane ahead of him. "Thanks for the talk. See you later."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away from Briu, leaving him completely dumbstruck on what to say.

* * *

"You seem kind of lonely," Adrian spoke and Kevi's head turned to face her. He shrugged. "Man, you are a lone wolf, aren't you?"

"…The same could be said of you."

"You remind me of a character from a story I once read," Adrian tapped her lips, as if trying to think of it. "Square…Squalsh…nah, I can't remember. Anyway, what are you up to?"

"Nothing really," Kevi shrugged. "I finished praying. I don't really have any tragic deaths in my family."

"Consider yourself lucky," Adrian sighed, standing next to Kevi before he could object.

"…Whatever…" There was a pause. "So, who are you praying to?" Kevi asked, as if more to break the silence then the fact that he was genuinely interested.

"No one…man, that must the number one question for me today."

"Painful memories?"

"Although I must admit, you are a little sharper then the rest when it comes to picking up on the uptake."

"I thought so…people don't get like you are without plenty of painful memories."

"Oh? And how am I?" Adrian asked, quirking an eyebrow, a smirk on her face.

"Dark, depressed, and all around taciturn."

"I see… good observation," Adrian sighed. "Oh great…now the painful memory thing has gotten me thinking."

Kevi wondered what she meant, and she nodded her head upwards. Both looked up to see a small boy, about ten or eleven years old, looking at them with shallow eyes. He had darkish brown hair and was wearing heavy set clothes. "Who is he? Brother?"

"No…cousin," Adrian sighed. "It's a long story, you don't want to hear it."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"Fine, fine, but you asked for it," Adrian shook her head, as if regretting ever opening her mouth. "I was nine, and it was a family trip to Zanarkand."

"To pray?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Pray at the holiest of sanctuaries…Zanarkand. The entire family went. But…during the night…" Adrian looked at her shoes and shook her head.

"_Hey! Hey worm! Get up!" Adrian winced as she felt a sharp kick in her stomach, waking her up from her sleep in her tent. She looked up to see a boy with blonde hair staring down at her. "Hey, we're going exploring Gagazet! Come on!"_

"_I don't want to go."_

"_You have to go! We can't carry all the food by ourselves!" The boy grabbed Adrian's wrist forcefully and pulled her out of the tent. "C'mon!"_

_Adrian snapped her wrist back and followed the boy. He led her to a group of boys, two, obviously twins, had brown shaggy hair and blue eyes. The other one was the one that had appeared in Adrian's Farplane vision. "Hatt, Matt, Iico. Adrian's gonna carry the stuff while we read the map and do the cool stuff."_

"_I-I don't know Quenix…" Hatt muttered lightly, shivering in the frosty air. "Mommy and Daddy told us not to go in the Mountains by ourselves. The nasty lion men will get us!"_

"_That's exactly why we're going!" Quenix snapped. "To see the Lion Men!"_

"_They're called Ronso you idiots," Adrian murmured under her breath._

"_Now, if you're all too scared to come…" Quenix stressed the word "scared" as though it were a sin. "Then I'll go by myself and bring back a Lion Man skin for my Mom!"_

"_Woah! We're gonna skin a lion man?" Matt asked, adjusting his heavy hat across his ears. "Cool!"_

"_Adrian, grab that bag," Quenix pointed to a large sack, and Adrian picked it up on her back, despite its huge weight. "Hatt, Matt, you guys hold this map I made," he handed the two a crudely drawn map. "And Iico, you carry our weapons." He handed Iico a sword and a dagger, most likely stolen from the adults on the trip. "Now we're ready! Come on!"

* * *

_

"_Quenix!" Matt called through the blowing snow and wind that was starting to pick up violently. Each boy was shivering, and Adrian had dug her cheeks into her jacket. "It's too cold! I want to go back!"_

"_Shut up!" Quenix shouted, his teeth chattering. "We're almost there, I can feel it!" The boys and Adrian finally arrived at a steep precipice, thick with heavy snow. "See!" He pointed up a path. "That should take us to their secret caves!"_

"_This is dumb!" Adrian called. "Let's go back!"_

"_Shut up Adrian!" Quenix snapped. "No one likes you anyway, so who cares what you think?"_

"_Hey Iico, what's wrong?" Quenix and Adrian turned their heads and gasped as Iico backed off from the group, a look of terror on his face. Hatt and Matt looked confused as Iico started to run towards the edge of the precipice._

"_The cold is making him hallucinate!" Adrian cried. "Iico, STOP!"_

"_M-M-MONSTER!" Iico screamed, sprinting for the edge of the cliff. Quenix ran as fast as he could, ripped off his glove, and reached out to grab Iico. Quenix's hand, now soft and sticky due to the sweat inside his glove, caught Iico's hood firmly just as Iico leapt off the edge._

"_Iico!" Quenix shouted to the boy, then screamed as Iico's teeth bit into his hand. He dropped Iico, blood flowing from his thumb, and Iico fell from the cliff until he could no longer be seen under the wind and snow…_

"_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Matt screamed, shivering loudly. "He's gone! He's really gone! Iico's dead!"_

"_There's no guarantee of that!" Quenix shouted, wrapping his bleeding hand in a bit of cloth ripped from his shirt. "He may be down there!"_

"_There's no way we'll be able to get to him…" Adrian said quietly, and all three boys turned to her. "The snow is too violent, and Gagazet's mountains are huge. There's no way we'll be able to make it all the way down there. Either from freezing, starvation, or the impact of the fall, Iico is dead."_

"_What are we going to do!" Hatt cried loudly, and Matt followed him. "Our Moms and Dads are going to kill us!"_

"We walked down the mountains back to the camp to tell everyone what had happened to Iico," Adrian told a slightly shocked Kevi. "When we got there…Quenix did everything he could to cover his ass."

"What did he do?"

"He used me as a scapegoat."

"_Adrian forced us to go!" Quenix pointed accusingly to Adrian, and the adults in the group looked, amazed at the small girl. "She wanted to go exploring, and she forced us! Iico fell off because of her!"_

_Adrian didn't say anything, she just looked at Quenix, who refused to look her in the eye. He stepped past her, and Adrian thought she heard him whisper a soft, "You don't have anything to lose anyway…"_

"Of course, everyone in the family hated me after that," Adrian sighed. "A few days later, a rescue party found Iico's dead body in the mountains. He was sent to the Farplane that very day."

"I'm surprised you weren't murdered in your bed," Kevi quirked an eyebrow. "And I'm equally surprised you didn't kill that louse Quenix."

"Quenix wasn't a bad person," Adrian shook her head. "He did his best to save Iico, remember? In fact, of all the people in my family, he was the one who treated me like an equal. His only great fault was that he was a horrible coward who couldn't handle consequences or reality."

"Where is he now?"

"Horribly successful," Adrian smirked. "He's a writer and a full-fledged billionaire. Hatt and Matt really didn't do much with their lives except spend their parent's money. But then again, they're only eighteen, they may well surprise me."

"You're awfully kind to them after what they did to you," said Kevi.

"No use dwindling on a dieing subject," Adrian shrugged, then turned away from Kevi. "We'll be leaving in about ten minutes. Enjoy the rest of your time."

* * *

"Man…man…WORK!" Juka screamed loudly, only to have a few prayers next to her shoot her odd looks. She blushed scarlet, then cleared her throat and stared straight ahead. "I don't get it…no one's showing up."

"What in Spira are you doing?" a voice from behind Juka asked, and she turned to see Adrian staring at her, a frown on her face. "You're disrupting the prayers."

"S-sorry!" Juka stammered. "But, no one's showing up."

"Who are you thinking of?"

"Huh? What do you mean, think of someone?"

"Idiot! You have to think of someone for them to show up!" Adrian gave Juka a sharp hit over the head and Juka winced. "Now, think of a dead person in your family."

"All right," Juka nodded, and closed her eyes in deep concentration. Adrian watched the spot in front of Juka, but, to her surprise, it remained blank.

"What's wrong?"

"Umm…something's wrong," Juka bit her lip in fear. "I…I…"

"Wh-what is it?"

"I can't think of anyone!"

Adrian fell over, obviously completely flabbergasted that Juka could not think of one person in her knowing that was dead. "Are you joking me?"

"Well…all of my dead ones are resting now," Juka told Adrian. "I don't want to wake them up."

"You're so dumb," Adrian shook her head. "We're leaving now, so get your stuff together."

"Hey, you talked with the guys a lot longer!" Juka snapped and Adrian turned to her. "And all these people showed up! Don't I get a person?"

"So…you were watching me?"

"N-no! I was just curious, that's all!"

"Yeah right…stalker."

"HEY!"

"Anyway, I'm afraid I'm out of painful memories…" Adrian eyed Juka warily. "And you seem to be enjoying yourself so much, I wouldn't want to ruin your mood."

"Fine, fine, I get the picture, I'm coming," Juka sighed and picked up her sword. She followed Adrian wearily to the middle of the Farplane, and Ashnigh, Kevi, Spiler, Briu, and Tai all gathered around the two girls, all looking warily at Adrian.

"All right everyone, did you enjoy your stay?" The group nodded or shrugged, or smiled in answer.

"It stunk," Juka spoke up and Adrian sighed, as if expecting something like this. "I spent almost all my time trying to make it work!"

"That's because you're too much of an idiot to figure it out yourself," Adrian snapped and Ashnigh giggled at her, winking at Juka. "Anyway, let's go outside and meet Tiffa and Luna, shall we?"

The entire group filed out of the Farplane gate, Juka staying last, looking back towards the garden. "Man…" she shook her head and then smiled widely. "I just thought of someone!" She closed her eyes, walked up to a spot, opened them, and saw none other then the High Summoner Lord Braska in front of her. "You cheated me out of a Guardian position…" she frowned at the image. "So that's why I'm waking you up, got that? Because of you, I'm stuck with Miss Morbid."

She turned around, as if to follow the rest of the group who had already left, but stopped and turned around again. "And…and I'm also mad at you…because you didn't beat Sin completely. I thought you were everything…but you still couldn't beat it. Why?"

Lord Braska didn't respond. Spirits couldn't respond of course, but it still angered Juka how he just stood there, standing serenely in the Farplane. "It's…not fair…"

"HEY BUBBLE-BRAIN! Get out here!" Adrian shouted and Juka was thrown out of her trance.

"C-coming! And don't call me Bubble brain!" Juka shouted, running out of the Farplane. Behind her, Lord Braska's image slowly faded. But before it did, a small flicker of sadness went through the spirit's eyes as it stared after the sprinting girl. In another moment, it was completely gone.

* * *

Wahah! The End! I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm afraid I'm not the best atAngst writing; in fact, I suck. I can't write all this "my life is horrible and the world hates me" crud I'm afraid. (sigh) Tell me to write a story about child abuse and I'll give you a story about a kid who wasn't allowed to eat ice cream. Man…

Anyway! Get ready for the next chapter, cause it's on the way!

Next Chapter: Orange Wings Part II


	14. Orange Wings Part II

Next chapter here! Sure to give you a laugh! Enjoy!

Shades of Wings: Orange Wings Part II

* * *

"Have fun with your memories?" Tiffa asked, directing the comment at Ashnigh more then everybody in the group. Ashnigh's eyes narrowed and the two glared daggers at one another. While everybody else in the group grew awkward around the two, Adrian didn't take notice.

"Much," she responded tersely. "Anyway, we've spent enough time here. It's time we move on. We're catching a Shoopuf at the Moonflow."

"A Shoopuf?" Juka asked. "Those big things? Are you sure they won't eat us?"

"What are you, some kind of country hick?" Adrian snapped her hand over Juka's head and Juka gave a small "Owiie!". "Of course not! It'll help us cross the Moonflow to the other side!"

"But first…" Kevi interjected, not wanting to listen to the two fight on about Juka's "country hick" status. "We've got to head through the forest on the way there."

"Yeah…those woods can be treacherous," Briu nodded. "I remember that my teachers always told us not to go out there. Of course, loads of dumb kids did anyway. Most of 'em got hurt, or ran away from fiends."

"We should have no problems," Adrian assured them, walking steadily forward towards the entrance of Guadosalam, where a large green pulsating floor stood steadfast beneath their feet. "After all, what are you all here for?"

"Let's roast choco steak!" Luna cried out, breaking the solid tension with a triple back flip and a spinning summersault in the air.

"Well, Luna seems up to the challenge," Spiler smiled. "Shall we get going?"

"Why not?" Tiffa shrugged and all nine of them walked steadily forward out of Guadosalam and towards the forest that would take them to the Moonflow.

Little did they know someone was watching them…

"That's him all right!" A voice from where the group had just left said to his or herself. "I've finally found him at last!" The voice giggled and let out a breath of relief. "I've finally found you, Kevi!"

* * *

"HYAH!" Tai rushed forward and stabbed the nearest Shelled Creature with his sword. He jumped back as the monster faded to pyreflies and the nearest Fire Flan growled in disapproval of its comrade's defeat.

"Luna! Cast an ice spell on it!" Adrian ordered and Luna nodded, smiling brightly. She ran up, threw her doll to the ground, and started to cast.

"BLIZZARA!" She shouted, and lifted her arm into the air. The doll sprung to its feet and copied Luna's movement perfectly. A large ice spike formed in the air and speared the Fire Flan through its stomach, making it melt to the ground and explode into a cloud of pyreflies like the last monster.

"Hooth!" Juka laughed, wiping her brow. "Monsters here sure aren't pushovers, that's for sure!"

"Of course not. Weren't you listening when Briu said how dangerous the forests were?" Adrian remarked rudely, and Juka growled under her breath.

"You live to piss me off, don't you?"

"Of course not. You're not worth wasting an entire life on."

"THAT'S IT!" Juka ran forward, only to have Kevi and Tiffa restrain her as she kicked in the air, Adrian smirking wildly.

"Hey Tai," Kevi spoke to the red-haired boy as he sheathed his sword. Tai looked up questioningly. "You need more practice with that sword. It's too heavy for you right now."

Tai scowled and narrowed his eyebrows. "Oh yeah, and your dumb axe is as light as a feather."

"Of course it isn't," Kevi raised his eyebrow. "Wanna trade?"

"No thanks," Tai snapped, wrinkling his nose. "You'll only brag about how much buffer you are then me or something stupid like that."

"…Buff…?"

"You really don't like me do you?" Tai asked, narrowing his eyes at Kevi.

"It's…it's not that I don't…like you…"

"It's just that you don't like having me around," Tai finished and Kevi nodded.

"You and I don't mix, that's for sure."

"But hey, I've gotten a lot stronger from when we started!" Tai announced, holding out his sword and slashing at an imaginary enemy. "I bet I could hold my own in a fight against you."

"No way!"

The group stopped as they heard a chipper voice from behind them. All nine turned their heads to face a girl in the road, frowning at Tai.

She had blue hair to about her shoulders and was wearing khaki colored shorts that cut off above her thighs. She wore a loose white tank top decorated with a zipper down the front and had blue tight sleeves that attached just below her shoulder. She was wearing white sandals on her feet and had a red headband in her hair. On her thigh was a small black bag and on her back were two blades. (Character belongs to zeldalover, the fanfiction writer)

"Who…who are you?" Tiffa asked as the girl strutted forward.

"I'm Maria!" She smiled. "Maria Sora! Pleased to meet you! I'm fifteen years old and the cutest girl you'll find out here!"

"Maria?" Adrian asked, blinking.

"Wait…" Spiler stopped and he and Briu nodded to each other. "Sora… That's…Kevi's last name."

The group turned to Kevi, whose face looked a stark white as he looked at the girl. In a moment, they understood the situation.

"YOU HAVE SIBLINGS?"

"FIRST A MOM, NOW SIBLINGS? WHAT OTHER SECRETS ARE LOCKED IN THAT HEAD OF YOURS?"

"WHAT IS SO FRIGGING WEIRD ABOUT HAVING A MOTHER?" Kevi finally shouted, panting feverishly. "This…is my little sister, Maria."

"Yep!" Maria nodded, smiling widely, showing her white teeth. It was obvious now that the group looked at the two. Maria and Kevi, although their hair color did not match, had the same eyes and facial structure. Maria was shorter, only coming up to around Kevi's shoulder, but that was expected of course. "I've been looking for you forever bro!"

"Why, Maria?" Kevi asked, obviously wanting her to go away. "Mom and Dad told you not to leave the temple."

"Please! Mom and Dad never let me do anything," Maria pouted. "But good thing I was able to follow you! I got to Guadosalam just as you were leaving! Lucky, huh?"

"Lucky for you," Kevi shook his head. "Why are you here?"

"To take you home of course!" Maria stomped her foot. "You know perfectly well!"

"Maria, I'm not going home. I'm a guardian, I can't just pack up and leave," Kevi snapped, narrowing his eyes at his little sister. "You do this every time! Ever since you were ten!"

"So?"

"You're being a brat."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not times infinity!"

"Are too times infinity plus a million!"

"I never thought I'd hear Kevi say that…" Adrian grimaced and Ashnigh smiled nervously as the two continued to contradict one another.

"Anyway!" Maria snapped, starting the conversation once again. "I'm taking you home, and that's final! I've trained really hard, and there's no way you can beat me!"

"Maria…" Kevi massaged his temples. "I'm not going with you…that's the final word."

"I'm sorry to interrupt a family crisis…" Ashnigh said gently, stepping forward, breaking the two apart. "But why do you want Kevi to come back with you, Maria?"

"Every year, Kevi goes off on a dumb pilgrimage!" Maria explained. "But he has NEVER taken me with him!"

"That's because you're not a guardian."

"I COULD be!" Maria argued. "I bet I'm good enough to be one!"

"You're still a novice. You would cry every time you saw a fiend."

"Would not!"

"Would too."

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not times--"

"Yes, I think we get it!" Adrian interrupted, obviously not wanting to get to "Would too times infinity plus a million." "So…Kevi doesn't take you along, so you don't want him going either."

"I get lonely with no one around!" Maria told them. "All the kids at the temple are too old for me to play with them. I used to be able to tag along with Kevi around, but when he's not here, what am I supposed to do?"

"Get your own friends," Kevi muttered.

"You always make things difficult!" fumed Maria. "If you would just take me with you, I wouldn't have to chase you every single time!"

"Maria. Go. Home. Now."

"Nope!" Maria shook her head. "I'm following you this time!"

"You can't follow me," Kevi narrowed his eyes. "This is a serious pilgrimage, and these woods are dangerous."

"I think that's for me to decide," Adrian interjected, stepping forward. The two siblings looked at her, Maria looking hopeful and Kevi looking worried. "Maria, I've decided you deserve a chance."

"YEAH! YEAH!" Maria cheered, then threw her arms around Adrian. "Thanks Miss Summoner! I thought you were kind of mean looking at first! But you're the greatest!"

"Get off…" Adrian growled, and Maria quickly complied. "Anyway, you shall accompany us through the forest, and I shall assess your value as a member of this troupe."

"Hey!" Juka interjected, also stepping forward into the fray. "She can't come! She's way too young!"

"Oh yeah, that's funny, coming from you!" Maria snapped. "You're only like, eleven!"

"I'M SIXTEEN! WHAT IS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND UNDERJUDGING MY AGE?"

"I have the final word," Adrian reminded them. "Maria, are you coming?"

"You bet!" Maria smiled, jumping up and down, and Kevi gave a small groan.

* * *

"Oh look! A fiend!"

"Let's go look for treasure!"

"That tree looks funny, maybe we should attack it!"

Maria was, in all personification of the word, peppy. She was itching for any fight that she could get her hands on, and this grew tiresome, fast.

"Watch out!" Briu shouted as a Skink fiend appeared. He drew his spear and gave it a sharp slice. This was followed up by a kick from Spiler with his blitzball, and the fiend was knocked over, dead.

"Hey you two!" Maria pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. "That was MY fiend! You stole it!"

"Huh?"

"What?" Spiler asked. "There's no "stealing" fiends!"

"I could've shown my great fighting skills!" Maria snapped. "But you two had to act all showy and kill it before me!"

"Here's your chance…" Adrian narrowed her eyes as a Lupine Wolf fiend jumped out of the trees behind them. "Maria, that wolf is all yours."

"All right!" Maria ran forward, only to have the wolf snarl at her. She jumped back, shivering. "Uhh…it's kind of scary! I'll need some back-up!"

"You wanted to fight solo," Briu reminded her, he and Spiler still not so happy at her "stealing the glory" comment. "So go ahead."

"You mean-hearted louses!" Maria's lower lip quivered. "F-fine! I'll fight it by myself!"

Maria lunged forward and sliced the Wolf with her daggers, only to have it rebound at her. She fell to the ground, nearly missing it. "AAAHHH! It's scary! S-someone help!"

But no one moved before the wolf lunged again on the now defenseless Maria. It was bounding forward, and Maria could only put up her arms in defense!

"HYAH!" Maria's eyes flitted open to see none other then Tai standing in front of the now dead Lupine, his sword drawn. He turned around to her and held out a hand. "You okay, there?"

Maria paused, then blushed a bright crimson and leapt into Tai's arms. "I love you!"

"HUH?"

"WHAT?"

Both Tai and Kevi's eyes widened furiously, obviously completely confused on the situation. Maria was now glomping Tai and nuzzling him, Tai blushing furiously and trying to pry Maria off. "H-hey! Get her off!"

"Looks like Tai's got girl problems…" Tiffa giggled to herself. "Hey Tai, handle her like a man!"

"Sir Tai!" Maria smiled. "So that's your name?"

"YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH ME BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME?"

"Oh Sir Tai, you were so gallant rescuing me!" Maria cooed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "I know that this encounter was meant to be!"

"You. Touch. Her. You. Die." Tai was ripped out of Maria's grasp and into Kevi's, who was now holding him by the shirt collar and staring down at him with a death glare. "Got that…buddy?"

"H-hey! Don't blame me!" Tai cried, obviously very frightened now. "I just saved her from the wolf!"

"And you were so handsome while doing it!" Maria cried, ripping Tai out of Kevi's grasp once more and hugging him around the waist. "Oh Sir Tai, we were meant to be together!"

"Don't. Even. Look. At. Her." Kevi ripped Tai away from Maria again, flattening him against a tree and looking menacing as Death. "GOT IT?"

"Hey! I don't want _you_ as a brother-in-law!"

"Oh Sir Tai!" Maria blushed. "Already talking of marriage? But I'm so young? Would it be proper? Oh well! True love conquers all!"

"TRUE LOVE MY ASS!" Kevi snapped, finally taking his hand off of Tai and letting him slide down the tree, making a nasty "crunch" sound as he hit the ground. "Maria! You're not to go near this guy, got it?"

"Oh Big Brother!" Maria laughed. "The more that you defy our love, Sir Tai and I will grow more together!"

"This is ridiculous…" Adrian muttered, massaging her temples while the other girls laughed their heads off. Even Ashnigh couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh Sir Tai, protect me, your princess, through these dangerous woods!" Maria called to Tai. Tai looked extremely scared; got up, and ran off down the path. (Maria sprinting after him.) "SIR TAI!"

* * *

"Sir Tai, that was amazing!"

"You're the greatest Sir Tai!"

"Oh Sir Tai, you're so much stronger then my dumb older brother!"

"THAT IS SO IT!" Kevi screamed, throwing down his axe and grabbing Tai by the back of his vest once more. "Look, I'm warning you for your own good. One _finger_ on her, and you are dead."

"Wh-what am I doing?" Tai asked, obviously extremely scared and confused.

"Big Brother, what are you doing to my beloved Sir Tai?" Maria asked, ripping Tai away from Kevi's grasp.

This basically had been the scene for the past few hours as they had walked through the forest. Battles had become rather second concern in comparison to Kevi and Maria's fights (Poor Tai stuck in the middle of course). It seemed every two minutes, the two were once again in a cat fight; Kevi trying to beat up Tai, Maria defending him and pledging her undying love, and Tai looking horribly confused.

"I just want her away from me…" he shivered to Juka and Luna. He had finally been able to sneak away while Maria and Kevi had been shouting at one another.

"Want me to torch her?" Luna asked cheerfully, holding up her doll and making a small flame appear on her finger. Both Tai and Juka looked nervous.

"Uhh…that's okay Luna!" Juka laughed nervously. "You should just tell her to go away, Tai! It's just a silly crush after all."

"Silly crush? She's totally obsessive!" Tai shivered, grasping his arms. "I'll have to shoot her to get her to go away!" He eyed Tiffa's guns…

"Don't even think about it…" Juka and Luna said together accusingly, making Tai blush red.

"I-I'm not serious!"

"SHUT UP!" Screamed Tiffa at the top of her lungs to Kevi and Maria. It seemed that Adrian's last nerve had broken as well, as a vein in her forehead was now throbbing and her teeth were gritted.

"Oh look…it's almost nightfall…"

* * *

And so, the group decided to sleep out the night around a make-shift fire, compliments of Luna. They had positioned themselves in a relatively safe spot, and Tai had been asked to keep guard.

"Man…this bites…" Tai mumbled.

"What bites Sir Tai? The jaws of love?"

"OH YEVON, IT'S YOU!" Tai sprinted up a nearby tree out of fear as he saw Maria behind him, smiling softly with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Of course! I could not ask my love to guard alone at night!" Maria smiled widely, walking up to the tree and climbing up after him.

Tai panicked; he was trapped. Maria was coming up, and he couldn't get down. The next thing he knew, Maria plopped down next to him on a nearby tree branch, nuzzling his neck to his utmost struggle. "H-hey! Get off!"

"Oh Sir Tai! Your struggle only convinces me that you love me even more tonight!"

"HOW DOES _THAT_ LOGIC WORK?"

"Sir Tai! Kiss me!" Maria threw her arms around Tai, and Tai grabbed a nearby piece of wood in the tree trunk and threw it at Maria.

"Go away!"

Maria caught the wood and smiled widely. "Oh Sir Tai! Your first gift to me!"

"DID YOU NOT HEAR THE 'GO AWAY' PART?"

"I know!" Maria smiled and took out one of her daggers. She started cutting away at the wood; sawing until it was sliced into two clumsy pieces. She handed one to Tai and kept one for herself. "There!"

"Th-there what?" Tai asked, blushing at the small piece of wood.

"Now, even if I'm very far away, we'll always be joined together by this special gift!" Maria smiled and then took out her dagger again and started to chisel the wood. Tai looked at what she was doing, and found that she was drawing a crude stick figure of a man with wild hair and a huge sword. "There! It's you!" She showed him, and Tai grimaced. The stick figure didn't look anything like him… "Now I can just take out my wood and say 'There's Sir Tai! I wonder what he's doing now!' That's what I'll say!"

Tai blushed a brilliant red, and then looked at his half of the wood. "Th-that's…really nice."

"Here! You can carve me in your wood!" Maria smiled and handed him her dagger.

"N-no thanks!" Tai shook his head, blushing, and stuffed the wood into his pants pocket.

"Okay then," Maria smiled, and then leaned her head against Tai's shoulder. "The stars sure are pretty tonight, right Sir Tai?"

"I…I guess…" Tai shrugged. And the two looked up at the stars together, until Maria fell fast asleep, her head still resting on Tai's shoulder. Tai didn't shake her off.

* * *

"We're here! We're here!" Maria cheered as the group reached the bank of the Moonflow that morning. They were finally out of the forest, and could see a giant blue shoopuf on the horizon. "We made it!"

"Yes, that's true," Adrian nodded. "But first, your evaluation." Maria gulped, then turned to Adrian and nodded. "I'm afraid, Maria, that I can't let you be a guardian on my pilgrimage. There's a Shoopuf waiting to take you back near Guadosalam. I assume you can walk the rest of the way."

"I see…" Tiffa whispered to Juka. "She never intended on letting Maria on the pilgrimage. She just wanted to wait until she could get Maria back safely."

"That's so un-Adrian…" Juka murmured.

"Oh…" Maria lowered her eyebrows. "Okay then. I'll just have to train harder next time." Maria smiled, then turned to Tai. "Sir Tai! I'll be waiting for you! When you're back from the pilgrimage, let's get married!"

Tai blushed and turned his head away. Maria smiled and clutched her bag. "I'll still have your piece!"

"Piece…? What's that…?" Kevi asked Tai menacingly, leering down on him.

"N-nothing! It's nothing, I swear!"

"Goodbye Sir Tai!" Maria laughed, waving and walking off towards the Shoopuf docks. "Until we meet again!"

There was silence. Then more silence. Then a small cough from Juka.

"Well…" Adrian lowered her eyes. "That was…educational."

"Damn straight," muttered Kevi. "Now let's grab a Shoopuf before I tear out my hair, shall we?"

The group nodded to one another, then walked forward behind Kevi, who seemed to want to leave as soon as possible. Tai fumbled behind them, looking around, then stopped as he saw a woman in front of an art easel painting a landscape portrait of the Moonflow. "That's a really pretty picture…" he told her and she looked up.

"Oh, I'm glad you like it," she smiled.

"Can… I'm sorry to ask, but can I borrow one of your brushes?" he asked. The woman smiled at him and handed him a brush with black paint on it. Tai smiled to her and fumbled in his pants pocket…

* * *

"TAI!" Juka called after Tai who had just finished speaking to the woman. Tai looked up to see Juka walking towards him. "Our Shoopuf is ready. Miss Morbid is getting antsy! You'd better hurry up!"

"Oh, okay," he nodded, stepping forward. Juka's eyebrows rose, realizing Tai had something in his hand. Tai noticed her expression. "Is…there something on my face?"

"That's that thing in your hand?" Juka pointed to the piece of broken wood in Tai's hand and Tai smiled, showing it to her. On it was a small stick figure with hair to its shoulders and two daggers in its hands. "Huh? What is it?"

"Just a doodle," Tai shrugged, then put the piece back in his pocket.

"It looks like a snow man with meat-on a stick in its hands," Juka replied bluntly, making Tai sweatdrop. "Meat-On-A-Stick…that's making me hungry…"

"C'mon, we don't want Adrian getting even madder," Tai laughed nervously, and he and Juka walked on past the Moonflow, Tai lightly tapping his pocket where the wood was tucked inside.

* * *

Awwww! Tai's got a crush on Maria!

Tai: I-I do not!

Meanwhile, Maria's totally obsessed with Tai! Tough luck there Kevi!

Maria belongs to zelda-lover, but I did warp her appearance there. (Sorry ZL! ) Will Maria be back? Probably yes, to bother the group once more.

Tune in next time for Shades of Wings!

Next Chapter: Red Wings Part II

Danger on the Shoopuf and a deadly kidnapping plot! What's a group of guardians to do? Save Miss Morbid of course!


	15. Red Wings Part II

Author's Notes: Okay everyone! SOW is back and ready to kick butt! Here we are with the fifteenth chapter, and I'm stoked!

Tiffa: 1  
Luna:1  
Kevi: 1  
Juka: 1  
Spiler: 1  
Tai: 2

The popularity contest finally has a leader! Tai! So, now, I will allow you to submit one vote PER chapter. Any votes for chapters 1-14 will not count, by the way. And don't make up a lot of anonymous pen names to vote for the same character. I will notice. O.o

* * *

Anyway, enough of that! On with the chapter! 

"No Shoopufs ready to take us?" Briu asked Adrian as the nine surveyed the area, seeing only empty Shoopuf docks. "Maybe they haven't come back from the other side."

"It irks me…" Adrian muttered, crossing her arms. "But we'll have to wait."

"I saw a café a little ways over there," Juka remarked, pointing towards said Café. "We can hang out there until one comes."

"We're not here to smooze over drinks," Adrian said crossly. "But, if we have nothing better to do…"

"Wonder if they've got any alcohol…" Briu murmured, raising his eyebrows. Spiler gave him a look of worry.

"No alcohol before travel!" Spiler snapped. "You'll only throw up over the side."

"Ahh…you've got a point."

* * *

"Have you heard the rumors?" 

"About the missing summoners?"

"They've just disappeared off the face of Spira!"

"What are they all talking about?" Juka whispered to the group as they reached the small store. A few groups of people were gathered around the counter, whispering fervently to each other. They all shot Adrian a short look, gave her a bow with their heads, then continued to talk.

"It seems it's that rumor again…" Ashnigh said, a worried sound to her voice.

"What rumor?" Luna asked, hugging her doll around her right arm.

"Recently, summoners have been disappearing," Kevi explained, stepping forward. "Right under their guardians' noses."

"Woah! Creepy!" Juka shivered.

"Yeah! Creepy!" Luna agreed, grabbing onto Juka.

"It's just a rumor…nothing more…" Adrian sighed. "Now c'mon, I need something to drink before we start out."

"Where are we headed?" Spiler asked, a hopeful glint in his eye.

"Not the blitzball tournament in Luca, if that's what you're hoping."

Spiler's face fell. "But it's in only a few days! We could get there in time if we really tried! Maybe they need me to play-"

"Your stupid sport does not take priority over this pilgrimage," Adrian snapped. "Once we reach land, we'll head straight to Djose for the next Aeon." Adrian turned to the woman behind the counter. "One drink please, ether flavoring."

The woman slid a glass of slightly green liquid was given to Adrian, and she took a small sip, then wrinkled her nose. "Too much ether."

* * *

"Ride ze shoopuf?" 

"Nine tickets please," Adrian said, nodding to the group of guardians behind her. They had all gathered in front of the blue, wide-eyed Hypello who ran the Shoopuf they were trying to buy tickets for. "For the shore over."

"Shoopuf leaves right away, right away!" The hypello told them. "Get on board, get on board!" He pointed to the shoopuf and the group nodded to one another.

"Let's get one," Adrian walked swiftly over to a lift and stood inside it. Kevi and Tiffa followed, only to be followed by the rest of the group. Soon, they were all in the lift and were on their way up towards the top of the tall Shoopuf.

"I hope we'll be okay…" Juka gulped. "These things give me the creeps!"

"Of course we will," Adrian scoffed. "What do you think, it's going to step on us?"

"Possibly…" Juka muttered, narrowing her eyebrows.

"Or maybe…" Luna whispered to Juka in a scary tone. "We'll get eaten by a giant sea MONSTER!"

"AAAAHHHH!" Juka screamed, throwing herself back out of fear. "Don't do that Luna!"

Luna was laughing uncontrollably as the lift moved its way over to the Shoopuf that was patiently awaiting them to jump from the lift onto its large back, in which a small carriage was waiting for them.

Adrian climbed in first, quickly taking a seat near the front. Ashnigh sat next to her, and the rest milled in, Briu and Spiler forced to stand from lack of seats.

"Ready to go?" asked the Hypello driving the Shoopuf. Adrian nodded, and he kicked at the reigns.

The Shoopuf was off across the Moonflow…

* * *

"GRR!" Juka reached forward, her hand outstretched towards a pyrefly, only to have it dart out of her hand quickly. "Darnit! Not again!" 

"You can't touch the, dimwit," Adrian rolled her eyes and Juka shot her an angry look.

"The pyreflies will only fly away," Kevi told Juka. "It's not their nature to stay near the living."

"We've been on the Moonflow for awhile," Briu realized, leaning over the side to look at the water.

"Yeah," Spiler nodded, sighing.

"Adrian…" Ashnigh began, and Adrian turned to look at the Moonflow.

"I know what you're going to say Ashnigh," Adrian sighed and Ashnigh gave a small smile. "It's just a rumor."

"What's just a rumor?" Juka asked.

"Summoners disappearing," remarked Kevi, his eyes growing dark. "Just vanishing from Spira."

"Scaaarrry!" Luna cooed, rubbing her arms and looking at her doll. "Most likely, Adrian will be kidnapped too!"

"We're guardians," Kevi snapped. "Our job is to protect our Summoner from things like this."

"But all the summoners that disappeared also had guardians," Tai pointed out, furrowing his brow. "What could possibly have made them just disappear like that?"

"Magic?" Juka asked.

"Don't be stupid," Adrian rolled her eyes. "There is no current master of Teleportation magic on Spira. It's too difficult for even a Guado to manage. No…they were taken without notice somehow…"

"How could such a thing have been achieved?" Ashnigh asked. "It seems nearly impossible…"

Tiffa had remained quiet for the entirety of the conversation, simply looking at her red booted feet and not saying a word. Her face was sour, and her eyes were blank. Suddenly, she stood up and shook her mane of black hair. "…not sure…"

"ARRGGH!"

It happened in an instant. A gigantic metal claw flew into the air and grasped Adrian around the waist, pulling her from the Shoopuf cart as if she were an apple in a basket. Before the guardians even had time to move or blink, Adrian had been pulled down under the waters of the Moonflow, the metal claw along with her.

"Damn!" Kevi shouted, running to where Adrian had been pulled down and looking down. He started to take his axe of his back, only to have Ashnigh grab his wrist.

"No!" She shook her head. "You know your axe is too heavy for the water! Without a weapon, who knows what'll happen?"

Kevi grimaced and shook his head. "Fine. Juka, Spiler, and Tiffa," he turned to the three. "You three are the only ones with weapons that can be used underwater. Tiffa, your gun doesn't use gunpowder does it?"

Tiffa didn't answer. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows were arched in a shocked expression. Her mouth, agape, just stared at where Adrian once was.

"TIFFA!"

"What?" Tiffa asked, looking up. "What is it?"

"Does your gun use gunpowder?" Kevi repeated, growing impatient. "It's an Al Bhed model, so I'm guessing not."

"No, it doesn't use gunpowder," she shook her head.

"Right then…you three are the only ones with light enough weapons, and Luna's magic is useless under water," Kevi shook his head. "You three go after Adrian."

"Right!" Juka nodded, then ran to Adrian's seat and jumped off into the water. Spiler nodded and followed her, making a perfect dive worthy of a blitzer. Tiffa waited, then walked to where Adrian had been, hoisted herself up, took a deep breath, sighed, and jumped feet first into the water.

"What the!" Juka called, then gasped as water filled her mouth. She rose to the surface, took a breath, then dove back down.

Underneath the water was a gigantic water Machina! It had a cage in the very middle which held an angry looking Adrian, and threatening looking guns on either side of the machine. Spiler and Juka exchanged looks, but Tiffa only grimaced at the machine.  
She turned to them and threw her thumb upwards to tell them to surface. They nodded and swam upwards.

"Look," Tiffa told them once they had all risen. "It's vulnerable to lightning. Do you guys have any sort of Lightning abilities?"

Juka and Spiler looked at each other, and Tiffa shook her head. "I'm guessing that's a "no". Oh well," she sighed, "it's up to me then. Guys, just attack it, got it?"

"Right!" They said together, then dived again. Tiffa shrugged, then took a large breath and dived after them.

Juka was already on the move with a strike from her short sword knocking the machina back. Adrian frowned at Juka as if to say, 'Don't hit it too hard idiot! You'll blow me up with it!'

Spiler followed up Juka's attack with one of his own, knocking the machina back a few steps.

Juka's eyes widened as the machina started to float above them, the jet propellers on the back moving frantically.

Tiffa loaded her gun and pointed it at the machine. Juka and Spiler had already started to swim away, but Tiffa just sighed and squinted her eyes.

Lightning sparks began to grow around her gun. She took out the other one and a similar effect began to grow. Soon, the sparks started flying around one another, until they formed a long chain that glowed around the two pistols.

Tiffa narrowed her eyes and the guns fired, the lightning powered bullets flying right into a metal sheet under the machina. It started to spark, then roll around violently.

Tiffa turned to Spiler and Juka and nodded her head to the machina. Juka and Spiler nodded and started to swim frantically for Adrian. Tiffa followed, rising towards the ruined machine to the back of the cage. Juka and Spiler swam in behind her, only to see Tiffa already unlocking the security lock on the cage. The door swung open and Adrian swam out.

Spiler and Juka supported Adrian on their shoulders, and all four started to swim to the air, the machina floating towards the surface as well.

"Finally!" Juka gasped for air, her face red. "Guys! We got her!"

"Thanks to Tiffa!" Spiler commented as the Shoopuf lowered itself to a crouching position so the four could climb on. "She knew exactly where to shoot it! Amazing!"

"A machina?" Ashnigh gasped as the culprit floated to the top of the water. "Then the Al Bhed…!"

"Hey! Tiffa, you big meanie! What was that for?"

The group looked down to see the pilot of the machina rising from the pilot seat and unlatching the top of the craft. The top popped off, and from a silver ladder climbed a young girl, about Juka's age, with blonde short hair in a ponytail and green spiral eyes. She wore a red and tan Al Bhed uniform, and she had just removed her thick goggles from her eyes. She turned upwards towards the group.

"Up to no good again, Rikku?" Tiffa asked, shaking her head.

"You bet," Rikku smiled.

"How can you be so friendly?" Ashnigh asked, her eyes wide. "This person kidnapped Adrian!"

"She had her reasons…" Tiffa murmured. "Look, Rikku?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll talk once we reach shore. Can the Extractor make it there?"

"You bet! You didn't beat it up too bad!"

"You know what that thing is?" Tai asked, his eyes wide. Tiffa turned towards the center and smiled.

"Lucky guess."

* * *

"So…you tried to kidnap my summoner." 

The minute that the Shoopuf had reached the other edge of the Moonflow, Tiffa had excused herself from the group with Rikku, who had parked the Extractor far enough away as to not arouse suspicion. The two had found a secluded area in the end of the woods, just in front of a patch of lake.

"Why're you a guardian, anyway?" Rikku asked, her brow furrowed. "Doesn't seem like you!"

"I had to do something, right?" Tiffa scowled, putting her chin on her knees. "Couldn't just sit around forever."

"I think it was just to be mean to Pops."

Tiffa narrowed her eyes. "Your dad has nothing to do with this."

There was a silence between the two, then, finally, Rikku spoke. "You know why I tried to kidnap your Summoner."

"Because 'Pops' told you to?"

"No!" Rikku shook her head. "It's because of the summoners wasting their lives! Sin has never been beaten with the final summoning."

"Maybe it'll get beat this time."

"Shouldn't we try another way?" Rikku pleaded. "Tiffa, what's wrong with you? Why are you helping them?"

"Because that's what I chose to do," Tiffa told Rikku sharply, standing up. "And you can't stop me, Rikku."

"You're just being selfish!" Rikku shot back. "Matthias is still at Home! Why can't you come back? He misses you a whole lot, you know!"

"Matthias is different then me…" Tiffa shook her head. "He was able to live the way he is. I…however…" she grimaced, "I just can't do it Rikku."

"You were never an outcast!" Rikku insisted. "That was just some picture you nailed into your head! That's why you left!"

"You're wrong," Tiffa shot back. "Just because you're my cousin doesn't mean you know everything about me! Neither does Uncle Cid! He knows nothing about me!"

"Then why don't you try to let us find out about you?" Rikku asked. "Tiffa, why are you so intent on not being a part of Home?"

Tiffa stopped and looked over the lake of the Moonflow. Pyreflies danced over the cool waters, making shining reflections in the deep pool. The sun was setting slightly…the dance would begin soon.

But Tiffa wouldn't be there for it. She was busy.

"I don't belong in Home…" Tiffa shook her head. "Now take your Extractor and go back to the Moonflow."

"I'm going to have to repair that knick you put in it," Rikku scowled.

"Well…I guess that it's easy to fight something you built," Tiffa smiled, shrugging. "It should be ready to get going in no time."

"Fine!" Rikku pouted, standing up and putting her goggles on again. "I _will_ go…"

"Speaking of which…" Tiffa murmured, then turned to face Rikku. "Are you going after Yuna?"

"Of course…" Rikku nodded. "Yunie, most of all! We've already got people stationed in Luca to make sure she gets to Home safely!"

"And when you say that, you mean "kidnap her"."

"I know Yunie isn't your cousin, Tiffa," Rikku turned to Tiffa. "But please, if you see her, don't tell her about our plans. Or any of your friends either…the Al Bhed are only doing what's best."

"Fine, fine," Tiffa shrugged, then turned and started to walk back. "I've got to find my friends. Catch you later, Rikku."

"I'll tell Matthias you said hi!" Rikku called energetically after Tiffa. "Oh, you stupid head! You're so stubborn! Just like Pops!"

With that, Rikku ran off back into the water to board the Extractor once more. Tiffa saw her dive in, then smiled and shook her head.

" 'Home' huh? What a title…"

* * *

Don't forget to review and vote!See you! 

Anyway, hope you all liked this chapter! I did!

Next Chapter: Yellow Wings


	16. Yellow Wings Part II

Hello all you SOW fans out there! How's it going?

Anyway, here we are with the sixteenth chapter of SOW, Yellow Wings Part II! Which is going to be…uhh…long.

So, I hope you don't mind! Here we are!

Shades of Wings

Chapter Sixteen – Yellow Wings Part II

* * *

"What happened to Rikku?" Adrian asked Tiffa as Tiffa emerged from the forest near the Moonflow. The group had all assembled on the road and were ready to move on towards the Djose Temple. Adrian was obviously slightly antsy; she was tapping her foot on the ground and throwing glances at the brush that Tiffa had been in. 

"She left."

"How?" Tai asked. "There's no way out of that brush except the way you came."

Tiffa shrugged and flashed a small smile. "Maybe she swam."

"In that machina?" Ashnigh asked, glaring at Tiffa. Tiffa rounded her head on Ashnigh and the two exchanged glares.

"Enough you two," Adrian snapped, not wanting the two at each other's throats already.

"So now what?" Briu asked curiously. "Heading to Djose?"

"Of course," Adrian shrugged. "Next is the temple of Djose where I'll be able to pray at another Fayth."

Spiler remained silent, looking at his feet forlornly. He stared at his blitzball and gave it a slight kick. He began to juggle it with his feet and head as the rest of the group conversed with one another.

Adrian caught a glance towards Spiler, and he dropped the ball from surprise. "Uhh…what?"

"Am I supposed to take that incessant annoying habit of yours as a hint?"

"Uhh…no…"

"You're still going on about that Blitzball tournament, aren't you?" Adrian scoffed.

"Why not go?" Juka finally interjected. "It might be fun."

"It would be out of our way," Adrian explained. "The tournament starts tomorrow. We'd never be able to cross the Mihen High Road _and _travel the Mushroom Rock Road _and_ pray in Djose and make it in time. My pilgrimage takes first priority."

"Blitzball is Spira's only real entertainment," Tai argued. "Seeing a summoner there might lift the spirits of the people."

"Tai's got a point!" Juka nodded.

"A point, he does have!" Luna nodded sagely and put on a strange voice. "Blitzball good for the soul."

"Stop talking weird," Adrian narrowed her eyes and Luna just laughed.

"All those in favor of going to the tournament, say aye!" Briu cheered.

"Aye!"

"Aye!"

"Aye!"

"Aye-aye! Do I count twice?"

"Aye."

"A-Aye…sorry Adrian."

"Ashnigh!"

"Aye!" Tiffa finished and the group looked at Spiler. Spiler gave them all a grin and nodded, raising his blitzball into the air.

"Aye!"

"All those against?" Juka asked.

"Me!" Adrian interjected. "And since I'm the summoner, my vote counts as ten! You lose! Majority rules!" She threw her hair behind her and started to stomp through the forest in the direction of Djose.

"Adrian, wait!" Ashnigh called after her and started to follow her. Juka frowned after the two.

"What's her problem?"

"Maybe she doesn't like sports?" Briu suggested.

"Lady Adrian!" The entire group turned their heads as a few men dressed in Yevon soldier attire came running towards them, looking out of breath. They had come from the Mushroom Rock Road and ran into Ashnigh and Adrian first. "Lady Adrian!"

"Soldiers!" Tai gasped. "What do you think's wrong?"

"Something to do with that machina?" said Briu.

"Whatever it is, let's get over there!" Tiffa told them, and the guardian troupe ran over to where Adrian, Ashnigh, and the soldiers were standing.

"Lady Adrian," one soldier with a husky voice announced. "We've come to drive you to Luca."

"Luca?" Adrian asked, her voice low. "What for?"

"Lord Albatross specifically requested your presence at this year's opening season Blitzball Tournament!" The other commented and the guardian troupe looked at each other.

"Albatross?" Tai grinned. "We get to see him again?"

"Awesome!" Juka cheered.

"As long as Katrina isn't there, I'm fine," Tiffa smiled to herself.

Ashnigh was silent, her face reddening slightly.

"Tell Lord Albatross that I sincerely apologize," Adrian bowed low and offered the soldiers a prayer. "But I'm far too busy to accept his invitation."

"But Grand Maester Mika is in support of Lord Albatross' decision," one soldier brought up and Adrian's face drained of color. "The Grand Maester would be most obliged it all summoners would make an effort to attend the tournament."

"What's she going to do?" Juka whispered to Kevi and the others.

"No way she can turn down Grand Maester Mika," Kevi nodded. "She's gonna have to go."

"Hey dude!" Briu whispered to Spiler. "You might get to Blitz after all!"

Spiler's grin was too wide for his face. "Yes! This year, I'm going to play in the Opening Tournament! I can just feel it! I'm sure that since I'm coming, Mair will let me play! This is too cool!"

"We have a carriage ready to take you to Luca," the soldier told Adrian, offering her a prayer. "If we're lucky, we should reach Luca by daybreak."

"…Thank you…for your…hospitality…" Adrian muttered, praying to them, then turning to the group, looking mightily upset.

"Ready to go, m'lady?" Juka asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You. Off. Cliff."

* * *

"HEEEEYYYY!" Juka screamed as Adrian gave her a sharp push. She barely grabbed onto the side of the carriage that they were riding on, then turned to Adrian. "Meanie! I really COULD have fallen off that cliff!" 

The group had boarded a carriage driven by the two Yevon soldiers and Chocobos (liberty of the Chocobo Knights). The carriage was large enough to hold all nine of them, and Adrian sat in the front, Juka and Ashnigh by her side.

The carriage bounced across Mushroom Rock Road, and it was obvious that they had already passed Djose temple. Adrian was in a sour mood, and had tried more then once to drop Juka out of the carriage.

"Tell me, are we almost there?" Ashnigh asked the drivers politely.

"We should reach the Mihen High Road in a few hours M'lady Guardian," the soldier replied. "Would you all care to rest at Rin's Travel Agency? It is Al Bhed…but…"

"Hey!" Juka shouted, making the soldier jump a foot in the air from shock. "What's that thing?" She pointed out of the carriage and the entire group crained their necks to see what Juka was pointing at.

It seemed to be a gigantic canon of some sort. Huge, pointed, and suspended in the air by a large pole. Al Bhed were working feverishly on it.

"What is that…?" Ashnigh asked.

"Nothing," the soldier replied hastily. "A Crusader operation."

"Why are the Al Bhed working on a Crusader operation?" Ashnigh asked sternly.

"They offered to help… Their technology is some of the finest in Spira."

"That technology brought about Sin," Ashnigh muttered. "It can't possibly stop it."

"The Crusaders, huh?" Tai asked. "That's the special army of Yevon, right?"

"Yeah," Kevi nodded. "Everyone's invited to join their ranks. They work with the Chocobo Knights to help protect Spira. Hundreds are stationed in Luca."

"My uncle was a Crusader…" Adrian murmured lightly.

"That thing sure is weird…" Juka murmured as the carriage drove around the bend and the gigantic machina disappeared from sight.

* * *

By nightfall, the entire group had fallen asleep as the carriage moved along. Juka and Luna snored loudly, Luna leaning on Tiffa's shoulder in an uncomfortable manner. Tiffa's face was scrunched up, as if she was having a bad dream about a giant rock that she had to carry on her back…or a head she had to keep on her shoulder. Briu had fallen asleep, murmuring "Copy Image" in his slumber. Tai had scrunched up, facing away from Kevi, his hand over his pocket. Kevi had fallen asleep sitting up, his axe in the crook of his arm. Even Adrian had dozed off. 

But Spiler's eyes were still wide and open. The brown flecks in his irises gleamed off the light of the moon and the stars. He was too excited to sleep.

"This is my year…" he whispered, staring at his blitzball. "The year I'll help the Kilika Beasts win the tournament. I've gotten a lot better since last year…I'm sure Mair will let me play."

Spiler smiled and stared at his ball, his eyebrows arched in anticipation. "C'mon Mair! Let me play!"

"Hey dude, what are you talking about?" Briu murmured, rubbing his eyes. "I can't hear you."

"That's because you're asleep, doofus."

"Am not…" Briu said groggily, slapping himself slightly to wake himself up. "There. Anyway…who's Mair?"

"No one," Spiler smirked. "Just my coach."

"Coach?"

"The coach of the Kilika Beasts."

"Woah," Briu blinked. "I see. So is Mair the captain?" He stopped and paused. "Hey…" Briu murmured. "Why are you so excited anyway? I thought you said you weren't good enough to play yet."

"_You're not going to play?" Briu asked him. _

"_Nah, not good enough yet, I have to work harder if I want to make the front team," he told him._

"Well…I didn't actually think that we'd get to stop in Luca," Spiler shrugged. "So I didn't get my hopes up. But now that we're actually going, I'm sure that Mair will let me play!"

"Well, good luck to you man," Briu smiled, patting Spiler on the back. "Wait...so does Mair play?"

"No, Mair doesn't play," Spiler shrugged. "Just the coach."

"Why doesn't h--" Briu began, only to be cut off as the carriage gave a large jolt, sending both Spiler and Briu rocking to the side. "Crud! Where are we, anyway?"

Spiler looked out of the carriage and grinned wildly. "I see it! We're almost there!"

"See what?" Briu asked, leaning his head out of the carriage too.

"Luca!" Spiler pointed as the gargantuan city came into view. He pointed towards the tall buildings and hot air balloons in the air. "We're finally in Luca!"

* * *

"We're finally in Luca…" Adrian muttered as the group walked through the streets of Luca that morning. "What crap." 

"This is awesome!" Juka cheered. "I've never been to Luca before! It's huge!"

Luca was indeed gigantic. Children were running all through the plazas and streets. Vendors were selling balloons and candy. Old men and women were arguing about which teams would win the cup this year. Blitz fans were asking players to sign their blitzballs.

"Giant, HUGE!" Luna agreed, nodding rigorously. "It's huge!"

"Hey look! You made it!"

The group turned their heads from the plaza to a small café behind them to see none other then Albatross, Lairon, and Katrina emerging from the doors.

They looked different from the party. Albatross was adorned in crimson robes with gold clasps and tall black boots. He held a golden staff with a white intricate jewel at the end, and his sash was a cream color.

Katrina was wearing a pink top with thin straps and dark black pants. Her long sword and Hawk Eye were attached to her back, and she wore silver arm guards, not to mention black gloves on her hands. She stared at Tiffa, and Tiffa returned the glare.

Lairon was dressed in dark turquoise pants with a navy jacket over his chest. A large silver necklace rested around his neck, and silver bracelets decorated his wrists. He wore brown boots and had an assortment of jeweled gloves attached to his belt. He flashed a handsome smile at Ashnigh and she blushed, turning away. He looked slightly hurt.

"How's it going?" Albatross asked, and his party offered a prayer to the troupe, of which they all returned. "I was afraid you wouldn't come. You wouldn't want to miss all the fun, would you?"

"Uhh…of course not…" Adrian murmured, biting her lip.

"Albatross," Katrina interrupted. "We're supposed to be at the docks in a few minutes to welcome the Grand Maester."

"Of course, of course," Albatross sighed. "Come with us, all right?"

"The Grand Maester?" Ashnigh asked, gasping and performing the prayer again. "Are we really invited to come see him?"

"He'd be glad to see you," Lairon smiled, stepping next to Ashnigh. Ashnigh glanced at Lairon and turned her head away. "So, you want to come?"

"Sure!" Tai nodded. "Let's go."

"His boat should arrive in a few minutes," Albatross grinned. "Let's get a move on!"

* * *

"Woah! There are so many people!" Juka observed as they reached the dock. Truthfully, at least fifty people were lined up in front of the boat that had just docked, hoping to get a view of the Grand Maester. 

"Lord Albatross!" A Yevon soldier gasped, walking up to Albatross and the others. "Your Lordship, this way."

"Make way!" Another soldier called as Albatross and the others walked through the crowd. "Lord Albatross is amongst us."

Murmurs went through the crowd, and Albatross offered the crowd a prayer. He turned to the boat and kneeled. The others followed suit, as did the crowd.

"Woah! Look!" Tai rasped to Briu beside him.

"That's a Guado, right?"

"Who could it be?"

"Isn't that... Maester Seymour?"

The crowd murmured amongst themselves as none other then the blue haired Maester Seymour stepped off of the ship. He offered the prayer gesture, then stopped and turned his head toward Briu, offering a very small smile before kneeling towards the boat.

"Here he comes…" Juka murmured.

And just as Juka had said, none other then Grand Maester Mika stepped off the boat and faced the kneeling people of Spira. Mika was an older man with a white beard and an ornate robe fit for a Maester on his body. He was slightly hunched over, and looked weak in the knees.

"This tournament is being held to honor his fiftieth year in office," Albatross explained to Juka who kneeled beside him.

"Woah! Fifty years? That's heavy!"

"You bet," Tai agreed. "Shouldn't he be…uhh… 'gone' by now?"

"That's where I come in," Albatross smiled slightly sarcastically. "I'm his replacement, remember?"

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome," Mika spoke, to the crowd. Many murmured amongst themselves. "Rise, Maester Seymour. And all of you as well."

Seymour rose from his kneeled spot and turned to face the crowd. He had a pleased smile on his face and his eyes were narrowed.

"I present to you...the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past," Mika explained.

"So soon?" Juka asked Briu and Briu nodded.

"I could hardly believe it myself. He died just before I left for the pilgrimage. It was so sudden. He wasn't sick or anything," Briu shook his head. "Seymour was a bit shaken up about it. He could only see me for a few minutes when I came over to his place to talk to him. Said it was nerves. Couldn't blame him."

"As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a maester of Yevon," Mika told the crowd.

"I am Seymour Guado. I am honored to receive the title of maester," Seymour announced, finally speaking to the crowd. "In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy, and to fulfill my duties as maester to the best of my abilities."

"He's part human, isn't he?" Kevi asked Briu. "A half-breed? I can understand why Maester Jyscal was so heavy on relations between human and Guado."

"Anyway, let's go," Albatross stood up and Maester Mika and Seymour returned to the boat and the crowd began to disperse. "Want to get something to eat before the tournament starts in a few hours?"

"The tournament!" Spiler shouted suddenly. "I totally forgot! Guys, we have to head to the locker rooms! I've got to see Mair!"

"Huh?" Adrian asked as Spiler ran off.

"Crap! Time to follow!" Briu rolled his eyes and ran off. "Bye guys! Catch you later!"

"Sorry Albatross!" Juka called as the group ran off. "We'll see you at the game, all right?"

"You got it!" he waved after them, a smile on his face. Soon, they were all out of sight, and the three were left alone, standing on the dock.

* * *

"Mair! I'm here!" 

The group had followed Spiler past the docks to the Blitzball stadium and into a small locker room in the left section of the stadium. The Kilika Beasts, dressed in their green uniforms, were warming up. "Mair!"

"Spiler?" A woman with short brown hair asked. "What are you doing here?"

A woman with red hair nodded, "Why are you looking for Mair?"

"I'm here, and I've practiced real hard!" Spiler told the two women. "I'm so ready to play in this year's tournament!"

"Don't be crazy," a voice from a small corner of the room called. The group turned their heads to see a tall woman leaning against the wall in the corner of the locker room, her arms crossed, a frown on her face. "You're joking right?"

The woman was certainly intimidating. She was as tall as Spiler, maybe even as tall as Tiffa, and had short cut brownish reddish hair. She had brown colored eyes…or at least she had one. The other one was covered by a brown leather eyepatch. She wore a crop-top colored a light green with a cream and green trim that was designed in a triangular pattern. The top connected to a pair of light green shorts using two leather straps that attached to the bottom of the shirt and the top of the shorts. She had tall cream colored boots with green soles and silver buckles. At her side was a red and white blitzball.

"Who's that?" Briu asked Spiler. "Another player?"

"No," Spiler shook his head. "That's Mair."

Briu stopped, then stared at the woman, color draining from his face. "BUT I THOUGHT SHE WAS A GUY!" Briu screamed. "Why did you tell me that this chick was the captain of a blitz team?"

"I thought it was obvious," Spiler sweatdropped.

"Sorry that I don't have as much testosterone as you would have hoped," Mair grunted, standing up from her corner.

"But…but your name! 'Mair'! That's a guy's name, ain't it?"

"Actually, my full name is Mairie (Meh-ree)(As in "Mary had a little lamb")," Mair told Briu. "But the team calls me 'Mair'." Mair got up from her corner and walked over to Spiler. The group frowned as they saw her limp slightly as she walked. "Spiler, there's no way I'm letting you in that Sphere pool."

"Huh?" Spiler asked, looking upset. "What do you mean?"

"You're a guardian now," Mair told him. "You haven't been at practices in weeks. How am I supposed to let you out there?"

"B-but…"

"Spiler," Mair sighed. "Why did you become a guardian?"

Silence.

Spiler remained silent, then looked at his feet. "Don't talk about that…"

"Are you really so fickle that you're already coming back to blitz?" Mair asked. "Ophelia would be upset."

"Shut up about Ophelia…" Spiler muttered, gritting his teeth.

"She's my sister," Mair murmured. "I can say what I want about her."

"I told you to shut up!"

KLANG! Spiler's fist hit the metal locker with a resounding clash that made the entire team look up at the two. Spiler's teeth were gritted, and Mair was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm not putting you out there. End of story."

"C'mon Mair!" Spiler shouted. "Give me a frickin' chance!"

"Better luck next year," she frowned. "Sorry Spiler…but you're a guardian now. Think about sticking to that."

"But!"

"Get out of my locker room. I've got to go through warm-ups with my team. Our game is in a few hours."

"Hey!" Juka stepped forward towards Mair. "At least give him a chance! You're being really nasty!"

"Spiler has more important things to worry about then Blitzball," Mair snapped back at Juka, staring at her.

"Juka's right!" Briu agreed. "Why don't you let him play?"

"I told you to get out of my locker room," Mair said. "Now go."

"We're leaving," Adrian told them, stepping out of the locker room. "I don't want to spend another minute in this atrocious place anyway."

"B-but Adrian!"

"We're _going_."

Juka and Briu shot Mair one last look, then walked out of the locker room. Spiler dragged his feet outside, and Juka took special care to slam the door as she left.

"What's with her?" Juka asked, gritting her teeth. "She's being totally rude!"

"Mair's just like that…" Spiler muttered, sitting against a wall. "And who am I kidding? I'm not good enough to play in the tournament."

"I think you're good!" Briu told him. "You're a lot better then anyone else I've seen."

"Who's Ophelia?" Adrian asked, butting into the conversation. "I'm curious."

"Yes…" Ashnigh nodded, sitting next to Spiler. "You seemed to react pretty strongly when she was mentioned."

Spiler remained silent for a few moments, then sighed. "About five or six years ago, Sin attacked Kilika. Ophelia was killed in that attack."

"I see…" Ashnigh nodded, putting her hand on Spiler's. "Were you friends?"

"Yeah," Spiler nodded, then chuckled. "I kind of had a thing for her, actually… She was Mair's younger sister, you know?"

"How old is Miss Mairie?" Ashnigh asked.

"Twenty-four," Spiler told her. "She was nineteen when the attack happened." He looked at his feet and bit his lip. "When Ophelia died, I swore that I would become a guardian to kill Sin for her. But…" Spiler shook his head, "no opportunities came along. Until I heard about Adrian of course. So…I stayed blitzing. Mair's just mad at me for breaking my word."

The entire group remained silent, staring at one another, then back at the door of the locker room.

"What's wrong with Mair's leg?" Juka asked finally. "And her eye?"

"The attack," Spiler told her. "Mair actually saved my life that day. It cost her though…"

"_Spiler!" Mair called to a sixteen year old Spiler as she ran on the dilapidated wooden path towards him. "Spiler, where's Ophelia?"_

"_I don't know!" he cried. "I heard she was going to the store!"_

"_Dammit!" Mair cursed, looking up towards the sky. Sin was directly above them, and debris was flying everywhere. The wind ripped at their hair and wood danced around them, rising towards a gigantic tornado that Sin was making. "We've got to find her!"_

"_R-right!" Spiler nodded._

"_WATCH OUT!" Sin's wind picked up drastically, and a tree was ripped off its water roots and flung towards them. "SPILER!" Mair pushed Spiler out of the way, and the tree hit her straight across the face, making her fall back into the water, hitting her leg against the wooden path. "ARRGHH!"_

"_Mair!" Spiler screamed, holding out his hand for her. She fell into the water, her right eye bleeding and her right leg mangled from the fall. "MAIR!"_

"It was a miracle we survived…" Spiler muttered. "But Mair's eye was gone. The tree and taken it clear out. As for her leg…well…that's why she limps."

"And that's why she doesn't play…" Briu murmured.

"Mair was the best blitzer I knew," Spiler shook his head. "And she loved Blitzball with everything she had. She was looking forward to joining the team that year. She had already been accepted and was going to play in the tournament. Then…the accident happened and…well…she was a permanent bench-warmer.

"But she can still use her left leg," Spiler told them. "Her kick's still pretty strong. I bet she could knock out a few fiends with that blitzball of hers."

"And Ophelia?" Adrian asked.

"Dead and sent…" Spiler muttered. "They found her, drowned, near the store where she had been shopping. She probably fell unconscious and drowned under water. No pain…" He frowned.

"So…what are you going to do?" Briu asked. "Try to convince her?"

"Nahh…" Spiler shook his head. "There's just no way that I'll get to play in this tournament."

"Maybe not with the Kilika Beasts…" a voice said. "But how about with your own team?"

The team…uhh…guardian troupe turned around to see a man with a small cap on his head smiling widely at them. He had a deep accent and auburn colored hair. "O'aka XXIII at your service!"

"O'aka?" Tiffa asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

"Haven't heard of me?" O'aka asked. "Ahh…well, not many have, _yet_. But soon, the name O'aka will be heard throughout all of Spira!"

"What were you saying about 'your own team'?" Juka asked, curious.

"I know a way to get you in the tournament!" O'aka told them, smiling. "I could tell you where to go…if you do me a little favor."

"What do you mean a favor?" Adrian asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You scratch my back and I scratch yours!" O'aka laughed. "It's as simple as that!"

"What do you want us to do?" Tiffa asked, looking suspicious.

"Getting together funds for your own traveling shop can be tough sometimes, you know? How am I ever supposed to spread the great name of O'aka without enough funds to…"

"Get to the point."

"Could ya spare some gil?"

"I knew it."

"We're out of here."

"What a gip."

"No, wait!" O'aka called after them. "Now come on! Can't you spare just a bit o' gil? I swear I can get you in the tournament!"

The group looked at each other and sighed. She pulled out a small pouch and handed it to him. "That's five hundred gil. What do you want?"

"Ooooh! Now this is mighty fine!" O'aka grinned widely, quickly pocketing the gil before Adrian changed her mind. "All right. All you have to do is talk to the attendant in the front of the stadium! When they ask you what you want, say 'There are chocobos in the sphere pool.'"

There was a silence.

"This has GOT to be a hoax."

"Serious!" O'aka nodded to them. "O'aka's honor! If you say that, then they'll ask you where the chocobos are. Tell them "in the sky" and they'll let you in!"

"Are you sure?" Kevi asked, narrowing his eyes. "This seems pretty farfetched."

"Just try it!" O'aka assured them. "I'll be seeing you later!"

With that, the short man trotted off, away from the locker room, leaving the nine alone with the strange encrypted password.

* * *

"Umm…hello," Spiler said to the attendant in front of the stadium. All nine were blushing a crimson red, embarrassed at the spectacle they were about to make of themselves. 

"Hello sir," the attendant smiled. "How can I help you?"

"Th-there are chocobos in the sphere pool!" he spat out and the entire group gritted their teeth. The attendant blinked, then smiled.

"Where are the chocobos, sir?" she asked. The group looked at one another, amazed at their luck.

"Uhh…in the sky!" Spiler replied. She smiled and motioned for them to follow her.

"I'm glad you could make it," she told them. "The surprise teams are always a huge hit at the tournament."

"Surprise teams?" Briu asked, only to have his shin kicked by Adrian. "Ow! I mean…uhh…yeah! That's us!"

"What exactly do you want us to do again?" Adrian asked, her eyes narrowing. "My mind draws a blank."

"Well, you're going to be participating in the tournament, aren't you?" the woman asked and Spiler's face lit up. "Here's your locker room."

She pointed into a locker room and the group walked inside, Spiler grinning from ear to ear. "Your uniforms should be in the lockers. Your match starts in fifteen minutes, so get out here quick!"

"Yes ma'am!" Spiler nodded.

"Oh, and your last player should be arriving soon, right?" she asked. The group's faces turned white. "You said there were ten of you, correct? Five for each half?"

"Uhh…yeah! He, I mean she, I mean they'll be here soon!" Spiler said.

"Oh wait!" Ashnigh laughed. "I forgot! He…he…uhh…couldn't come! He contracted a case of…uhh…the mumps! That's it!"

"What are you talking about?" a familiar voice asked from behind the woman. "I'm right here guys."

The woman stepped aside to reveal none other then the smirking face of Stiven Athana. Stiven walked into the locker room and waved the woman away. She smiled and shut the door.

"Stiven!" Spiler growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to blitz, right?" Stiven shrugged.

"Why aren't you with the Goers?"

Stiven paused, and gave a small gulp. "Uhh…they were…full…"

"They wouldn't let you play either, huh?"

Stiven sighed. "You got it."

"Wait, wait, WAIT!" Adrian interjected, slamming her foot on a bench. "What the heck are you talking about? Us? Playing blitzball? None of us can play blitzball!"

"It's not that hard!" Spiler assured her. "We'll do fine!"

"I played blitzball once!" Juka told them. "In a puddle outside the temple!"

"That's not blitzball, stupid!" Adrian shouted. "This is ridiculous! What are we supposed to do?"

"Win!" Stiven told them. "C'mon, let's get our uniforms!"

* * *

"Yellow?" Adrian asked, looking extremely annoyed. "Are you joking me?" 

"They're not yellow," Spiler frowned. "They're 'golden'!"

The team had all been dressed in golden colored shorts (women) or pants (men) with matching golden chest pads and arm guards. Adrian and Ashnigh had put their long hair up, and Tiffa had tied hers out of the way as well. Luna had discarded her cap and Juka and put her hair in pigtails.

"So, what's our strategy?" Tiffa asked.

"Get out there and flail?" Adrian asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Look, you can breathe in the water, so don't worry," Spiler explained. "The water has high levels of oxygen in it so blitz players don't have to worry about losing air. Anyway, Stiven and I will play forward. Adrian, I want you to be mid-fielder for the first half…"

The positions were finally derived as such:

First Half:

LF: Stiven  
RF: Spiler  
MF: Adrian  
LD: Tai  
RD: Kevi  
GK: Ashnigh

Second Half:  
LF: Spiler  
RF: Stiven  
MF: Juka  
LD: Tiffa  
RD: Luna  
GK: Briu

"See, now, Stiven and I are in both halves," Spiler told them.

"I'm in goal?" Ashnigh asked. "Do you think I can handle it?"

"No problem! Kevi and Tai will keep the forwards away from you!" Stiven assured her. "Right, Tai, Kevi?"

The two glared daggers at each other, and nodded.

"How come I'm mid-field in the second half?" Juka asked.

"So you can get the ball in the beginning and pass it to us quick," Spiler smiled and Juka growled.

"I want to score too!"

"You've never even played blitzball! Leave the scoring to us!" Stiven gave Juka a sharp whack over the head and she frowned.

"You can't make me do this," Adrian growled. "I refuse!"

"You're out in five minutes!" a man called, knocking on their door.

"I won't!" she called to them.

"Come on Adrian," Spiler smiled. "Time to go!"

With that, Spiler and Stiven grasped Adrian by her arms and dragged her forward; Adrian kicking and screaming the entire time.

* * *

"And here we are folks, with the first match of the tournament!" an announcer called as the teams entered the giant stadium. Stiven, Spiler, Adrian, Kevi, Tai, and Ashnigh all looked in amazement as they walked into the stadium. The stands were packed and fans cheered wildly as the teams emerged. A gigantic sphere pool stood in front of them, and they couldn't help but gasp. 

Stiven and Spiler nodded to each other and sprinted into the sphere pool, diving into the liquid, splattering it slightly. The other four nodded to each other and ran forward, diving into the sphere pool as well.

"Well Jimma, first up we have, in gold, our special team, the Bevelle Chocobos!"

"That's right Bobba, and on the other side, opposing them with our other special team is the Djose Moogles!" Jimma announced.

"We're the Chocobos?" Juka asked from the locker room as she watched the screen that was playing the game. "What a lame name…"

"Better then the "Moogles"…" Tiffa muttered.

"And to start off the game!" Jimma called. "We have, leading the Chocobos, Captains Spiler and Stiven! Lady Summoner Adrian Lexington is also participating!"

The crowd gave tumultuous cheers, and Adrian grimaced. "It sure does give a lot of joy to the people of Spira to see a summoner in the sphere pool today, Jimma."

"You got it, Bobba."

"The game's about to start!" Luna squealed. "I hope we win!"

"Just watch!" Tiffa smiled. "I'm sure we'll do fine!"

Five of them swam forward, Ashnigh swimming back towards the goal. Spiler stuck out his hand, and the captain of the silver-clad Moogles shook it. The team was made up of all humans, the team noticed.

"Teams get ready! It's time for…" Bobba paused as the blitzball appeared in the center of the arena. Adrian and the Moogle's mid-fielder got ready to catch it. "BLITZOFF!"

The ball zoomed into the air, and Adrian sped up to catch it. But the Moogle's mid-fielder was far ahead of her and grasped the ball just as her fingers touched it. He wasted no time in passing it to a forward, who grabbed it and started to swim forward.

Kevi nodded to Tai and motioned him over towards the forward. Adrian swam as well, and the three of them challenged the offense.

"Looks like he's cornered Jimma!"

"Ouch! An impressive attack by Kevi Sora, defender on the Chocobos! But the offense is still standing!"

Tai made a tackle, and the ball was released. He quickly threw it towards Stiven, only to have it intercepted by a Moogle defender.

Stiven frowned and swam towards the defender, Adrian also swimming towards her. The two cornered the defender and the Moogle player chucked the ball in a pass towards an open forward in the corner.

Adrian and Stiven jumped in the air, only to have the ball graze their fingers and sail on. The pass barely connected and the forward wasted no time in taking a shot!

The ball sailed with great force towards Ashnigh and she narrowed her eyes. Ashnigh swam a bit out and barely grasped the ball before it landed in the goal. She opened her eyes and smiled to see the ball in her grasp.

She looked around and finally passed it to Kevi who started to swim up the sphere pool with it. He didn't get far before three Moogle players tackled him, making the ball fly from his hands. The mid-fielder took a shot on goal once more and the ball sailed through the water.

Ashnigh made a move to catch it, but it veered off in a curve and landed straight in the goal.

"Oh no!" Juka gasped. "They scored!"

"It's just one goal!" Tiffa assured her. "And there's still three minutes left in the half!"

"And the Moogles score! A great play by their mid-fielder there, Bobba!"

"You've got that right Jimma! The Moogles are in fine shape today! The Chocobos can't seem to stop them!"

Play resumed, and, although the Chocobos were doing their best to get the ball down the pool, the Moogles still had a heavy advantage over them.

"And another goal for the Moogles!" Jimma announced as the Moogles scored their second goal. "With only thirty seconds left in the half, the Chocobos are down, two to nothing!"

"They're going to need some pretty great plays to stop this dynamite team here, Jimma," Bobba commented.

"And the ball is placed in the center again…"

"C'mon Adrian!" Briu cheered from the locker room. "Catch it! You can do it!"

"BLITZOFF!" The ball was thrown into the air, and Adrian pushed off with all her might from the sphere pool base.

She kicked her feet, letting the water wash her towards the ball. She was neck and neck with the Moogle's mid-fielder, and she strained her hand out to grab the ball.

She felt her hand grasp it and she flashed a huge smile. She threw it towards Spiler, who caught it with ease and started to swim up the pool.

"A great catch by Adrian Lexington!" Jimma announced. "Now, let's all hope she has the same luck against Sin!"

"Spiler Nairmen is heading up the pool!" Bobba called. "But watch out, the Moogle defenders are on him!"

True, two Moogle defender ambushed Spiler. Spiler, knowing he was outmatched, decided that his only option was to try and shoot pass them.

"I can't believe it Bobba! He's trying to shoot!"

"And there goes the shot!" Spiler threw back his leg and the ball flew forward with an enormous speed. "It's going, going! It's passed the defenders!"

The ball swam forward towards the Moogle's goal keep. She put her hand out and the ball bounced off of her palm, away from the goal. Many fans groaned in disappointment and Spiler frowned.

"And the ball has been blocked! But wait…what's this?"

The entire group leaned forward in their seats as none other then Adrian caught the loose ball and reared her foot back. "Why…Adrian Lexington is shooting the ball!"

Adrian's foot snapped and the ball flew forward at an alarmingly high speed. The Moogles' Goal Keeper didn't even have time to move before the blitzball hit the goal!

"GOOOOAAAALL!" Adrian screamed, then gasped as water filled her lungs. She regained her breath using the oxygen and nodded.

"And that's half-time!" Bobba announced as the clock ran out. "And the score at the half is two to one due to an amazing play by Adrian Lexington of the Chocobos!"

"Yes!" Juka cheered. "We've scored! We're only one behind!"

"We're back in the game!" Briu nodded. "And now it's our turn!"

* * *

"Great job team!" Spiler nodded to them as they sat on the benches. "You guys were great! We're only behind by one goal!" 

"Nice goal there Adrian!" Tai commented, shaking his hair of the water. "You were great!"

"It was nothing…" Adrian shrugged, but a small smile flashed by on her face. "The faster we win, the faster he'll," she jerked her head towards Spiler, "stop whining about blitzball."

"Right!" Stiven nodded. "It's time to get serious guys! We're launching an all out offensive against the Moogles!"

"Right!" Juka nodded. "Leave it to me!"

"Yeah right!" Adrian laughed. "I doubt you can swim."

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Calm down you two," Stiven told them. "It's time for the second half to begin!"

* * *

"And the second half is already off to a great start, Jimma!" Bobba announced. "Right now, the Chocobos are in possession. Defender Luna Lee holds the ball at thirty seconds into the half!" 

"Here comes the Moogle Mid-fielder, challenging her for the ball!"

The Moogle mid-fielder swam up to Luna, who just smiled widely and hummed a small tune. He made a move to tackle her, but she ducked and he sailed straight over her. She then grinned and threw the ball to Juka who was immediately tackled by a defender and lost the ball.

"Man!" Tai grimaced. "They're taking a beating out there!"

"C'mon guys, you can do it!"

A whistle blew as Tiffa and another player collided with each other, the ball floundering in the water.

"Dangerous Play!" The referee called from the top of the Sphere pool. "Blitzoff!"

"The referee calls dangerous play on Tiffa Carminata and Hugo Recluse! Play is restarted from a blitzoff!" Jimma called.

Juka smiled and swam towards the center just as the ball was put into the center. "BLITZOFF!"

The ball flew into the air and Juka ran up to catch it, but she was too late. The other player had already grabbed the ball and passed it to a forward.

"_Juka's too slow for that player…" _thought Spiler, biting his lip. _"These players are much faster then our team. If only we had a faster player…"_

His eyes widened, as if suddenly realizing something.

"_I've always wanted to try Blitzball," Briu noted. _

"_Yeah, you Guado are pretty fast," Spiler nodded, almost dropping the ball. "Unlike those Ronso…"_

That was it!

"Oh! Looks like Captain Spiler is motioning to Juka Sammisen, his mid-fielder!"

Spiler was motioning Juka, pointing rigorously at Briu in goal. Juka looked at him oddly and he pointed again.

"Looks like he's switching his player's positions! Briu Guado is now in the mid-fielder spot!"

Juka heard the announcement and she nodded to Spiler and started to swim towards Briu. Briu nodded to her and swam off.

Before Juka had even come near the goal, Briu was at the mid line, looking around for the ball. He was so fast it was almost god-like! Spiler had definitely made the right choice putting him on the field.

"And new mid-fielder Briu Guado intercepts a pass!" Bobba called as Briu snatched a pass from the water. He immediately chucked it to Stiven who wasted no time in catching and shooting.

The ball flew straight passed the goal keeper's hand and into the goal! The score was tied at two to two!"

"And the score is now tied Bobba!" Jimma called. "Putting Briu Guado in mid-field position was obviously a wise move on the Chocobo's part!"

"The Guado are definitely the fastest swimmers out there, Jimma."

"And the ball is back in the center!" Jimma called as Briu rushed back towards the middle, the Moogles now looking extremely intimidated.

"BLITZOFF!"

The Moogle's Mid-fielder shouldn't have bothered to even try for the ball. Briu had grasped it in seconds and chucked it towards Spiler.

"There's only thirty seconds left in the game, Bobba!" Jimma called. "Can the Chocobos score and win the game?"

"It looks like we're going into overtime Jimma!"

"And a pass is thrown to Spiler Nairmen with only twenty seconds left in the game!"

"Two defenders are on him! This looks bad for the Chocobos!"

True, two defenders had converged on Spiler, and he was trapped. The seconds were ticking by; he had no time to break through them.

"What will Nairmen do?"

Spiler narrowed his eyes and threw his foot back to shoot.

"He's going to shoot! I can't believe it!"

But the ball didn't go towards the goal. The ball knocked back one of the two defenders, then the other, then returned to Spiler. He reared his foot back and launched forward, the ball sailing past the goal keeper into the goal.

"And that's it folks!" Bobba shouted. "With an amazing shot from Spiler Nairmen, the Chocobos win the match!"

"Why, I haven't seen anything like that in years Bobba!"

"Neither have I, Jimma!"

"We won!" The team cheered, swimming out of the pool and giving each other high-fives. "We advanced to the next round!"

"What was that shot you did?" Stiven asked Spiler. "It was pretty cool!"

"I call it the Ophelia and Mair Shot!" Spiler grinned widely. "Great job guys!"

"I hope you all enjoyed our pre-tournament game folks. Our first game, the Guado Glories versus the Luca Goers will begin in just a few minutes."

The team remained silent. "Pre-tournament game?" Spiler asked, raising his voice. "This wasn't an official game?"

"I thought you knew that," the woman from before commented, stepping out from the locker room and into the stadium. "We always have special teams put on a pre-tournament show! The amateur teams from Spira come to play."

The team remained silent. "Am-amateur?" Spiler asked, then sighed. "Maybe Mair's right. I need more practice."

"Well, a win's a win, right?" Juka asked, grinning. "And you got to play a game in the tournament! The crowd loves us!" She pointed to the crowd above them.

Spiler smiled. "I guess so…" He flashed a thumb's up to the crowd and they cheered wildly for them. "Yeah! I guess I did get to blitz in the tournament after all!"

"Now let's get changed," Adrian snapped. "I'm tired of being a Chocobo."

* * *

The End! 

I hope you all enjoyed it!

Next Time on Shades of Wings!

Chapter Seventeen: Green Wings

Until then, Ciao for now!


	17. Green Wings Part II

Chapter Seventeen: Green Wings Part II

Hey guys, what's shaking? This chapter is big! REALLY big! I hope you all enjoy it!

It's going to be a big homecoming for all of us. The old and the new are coming back to Luca! So get ready, take cover, and just plain RUN.

* * *

Green Wings Part II

* * *

"Oh wow, you guys were great! I didn't know you were so great at Blitzball, Lady Adrian."

"Umm…I thank you Lord Albatross…"

"Hey! What about me, I played just as well as her!"

"Of course Juka," Albatross laughed. The entire group was outside the stadium around fifteen minutes after the game. They had all gotten changed back into their old clothes, Adrian more then happy to be out of her black and golden Chocobo uniform. Stiven had parted ways with them in order to go cheer the Goers on. Albatross, Lairon, and Katrina had met them outside of the stadium to congratulate them on their win. "You were great too."

"Damn straight!" Juka nodded, grinning.

"Juka, watch your language around Lord Albatross," Ashnigh said to Juka, her eyebrows arched.

"Ahh, that's okay Lady Ashnigh," Albatross smiled in her direction. "You should hear Katrina sometimes when the fiends get her from behind."

Katrina's face turned crimson and she looked away, a large scowl on her face. Tiffa couldn't help but crack a smirk in Katrina's direction.

"Anyway, guess what?" Albatross smiled and held up a few pieces of paper. "I got you all tickets for the final match today!"

"Woah! No way! Thanks so much!" Spiler grinned and grabbed the tickets from Albatross, counting all nine. "This is awesome!"

"Yeah, you'll have prime seating too," Albatross grinned. "Right near where the Maesters sit and everything! It pays to have connections, don't it?"

"I'm going to see the match-ups in the stadium," Kevi suddenly spoke, and the group looked up towards him. "I'm a Guado Glories fan myself, being from Macalania. If you'll excuse me…"

Kevi turned on his heel and walked into the stadium, leaving the other eight behind. Tai frowned and looked after him. "I'm an Auroch's fan…"

"The Aurochs?" Briu asked, quirking an eyebrow. "They've never gotten past the first round in ten years! No way can they win!"

"Yeah, Tai, it's definitely a long shot," Juka laughed. "Djose doesn't have a Blitzball team, so I'm just rooting for the Beasts or something."

"What about you Adrian?" Ashnigh asked, smiling gently towards her taciturn friend.

"I stand firm in my conviction that this is a waste of time," Adrian hissed to Ashnigh. "You can go and root for you Zanarkand Zooloos or whatever the hell they call these teams nowadays."

"The Zanarkand Abes!"

The group paused and turned to face the speaker: Luna. Luna stood there, smiling widely, her doll in her arms, her glasses shiny as ever. "That's what they call their team! The Zanarkand Abes!"

"Luna, you must be mistaken," Adrian sighed. "Zanarkand doesn't HAVE a blitzball team."

"Does too, does too!" Luna shook her head. "They used to at least!"

"Heh, yeah! All the ruins play blitzball!" Briu joked, nudging Spiler in the ribs. "That right?"

"I'm going to go and check the match-ups too," Tai told the group, running into the stadium.

"Oh why the hell not?" Adrian sighed, rolling her eyes and following Tai. The others followed after them, Luna frowning as they all passed her.

"Man! Why don't they believe me?"

"Where'd Kevi go?" Tiffa asked, looking around as the group walked into the stadium. The game had not yet started, but the fans were already getting pumped up with their banners, face-paint, and annoying noise-makers. "The match-ups are posted right here, where could he have gone?"

"That IS weird…" Spiler agreed, nodding his head. "Where do you think he went?"

"Probably off to sulk or something," Tai shrugged.

"…"

"What is it Adrian?" Ashnigh asked her as Adrian suddenly grew a look on her face. Adrian didn't respond; she just jerked her thumb to her right and the entire group looked over.

"Oh KEVI, honey! We missed you so much! We saw your game, you were great!"

"M-Mom! I can't breathe!"

"I always knew you had it in you son, you were great!"

And there they were. Yeinin and Reirana were sitting in the stands, Reirana hugging her son to death Yeinin rubbing his knuckles into Kevi's hair. Kevi looked the definition of miserable.

"Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?"

"We came to see the game, my boy! What else?"

"You guys just picked up and left to go see the blitzball tournament?" Kevi asked, his eyes narrowing. "That seems a little irresponsible, don't you think?"

"Oh…well…Maria had gone out fishing with her friends and hadn't come back in a week, so we decided that it would be okay to go the tournament!" Reirana said, a grin on her face.

"HOW DOES THAT LOGIC FOLLOW?" Kevi screamed, ready to tear his hair out. "Maria's been looking for me, as usual! You're her parents, you should keep an eye on her!"

"My boy, you're just too young to understand," Yeinin shook his head and frowned. "Grown-ups do a lot of things that young people just don't understand because they're naive."

"LIKE LEAVING YOU DAUGHTER OUT IN THE WILD?"

"They don't make much sense, do they?" Juka asked.

"None whatsoever," Adrian agreed.

"Oh look Kevi! It's your girlfriends!" Reirana smiled widely as she saw the group over her shoulder. She immediately dropped Kevi and ran to them, grabbing Adrian's hands much to her disgust. "How are you all? Have you been taking care of my little baby?"

"Mom!" Kevi came up from behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We're all EXTREMELY busy. Can we talk later?"

"Of course not!" Yeinin scowled. "We barely see you anymore! You're going to sit right here with us while we watch the game!"

"Thanks, but I have a seat," Kevi frowned.

"But I bet it's not as good as sitting next to your Mommy, right?" Reirana asked. "I remember, when you were little and we went to your first training session, you were so scared you held my hand the entire time and hid behind my legs and then you cried and almost wet your--"

"YES, Mom! I think that's PLENTY of information!" Kevi shouted, as red a beet.

"C'mon my boy, we can catch up!" Yeinin chortled, throwing his arm around Kevi's neck and dragging him back to their seats.

"I just saw you a few days ago!"

"Well, we'll be seeing you later!" Reirana smiled, waving to the group. "Thanks for taking care of little Kevi for us!" With that, she pleasantly skipped off to go join her husband and unwilling son.

"Funny…they dote on Kevi so much…it makes you wonder if Maria is ignored," Briu brought up.

"I doubt it. I just think that Maria is gone so much that they don't worry about her while she's out traversing the woods…" Spiler sighed.

"Well…Kevi seems occupied…so, allow me to make a proposal," Adrian stepped forward. "I saw we all split up, then meet back here for the Finals. What do you say?"

"I'm all for that!" Juka smiled. "At least I won't have to spend my entire afternoon with you!"

"Ignoring THAT lovely comment," Adrian snarled. "I'll be going with Ashnigh."

"Umm…actually…Adrian, I was wondering if I could walk around with Lairon for a bit," Ashnigh offered. Lairon looked at her hopefully, and Adrian's jaw almost hit the floor.

Ashnigh, ignoring Adrian, walked over to Lairon and took his arm. "Shall we go?"

"Uh…sure!" he nodded, smiling widely and walking off with her. Adrian watched them go, a blank expression on her face.

"Woah…" Juka murmured. "You got burned."

"Shut up!" Adrian snapped, her face turning red, her nose scrunched up. She was obviously extremely flustered and frustrated.

"Ahh, don't feel bad Adrian," Albatross chuckled. "They just want to have a lover's stroll is all. You should hear Lairon. All he ever talks about is Ashnigh."

Adrian's eyes narrowed, and she quickly lowered the temperature of her face. "Fine, fine. But if she's not back in fifteen minutes, I'm following her."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that!" Albatross laughed, grabbing Adrian and Juka's arms. "You two fine ladies are coming with me, got that?"

"H-hey! Hey WAIT! I have to follow Ashnigh!"

"Hey! I don't want to go with HER!"

"Albatross, what about me?" Katrina asked, looking as though Albatross had just slapped her. Obviously she had not predicted that she would be left alone with the rest of the troupe.

"How about you go off with Tiffa or something? You two seem to get along pretty well," Albatross offered, grinning. Tiffa and Katrina looked at each other, glaring daggers. "See! You can't stop staring at each other!"

"He's a bit oblivious, isn't he?" Tiffa whispered to Katrina.

"Albatross has trouble seeing the worst in people…" Katrina sighed, shaking her head.

"Well, we're off!" Albatross called, and, with the two girls still on his arm, he walked from the stadium, gabbing away to a disgruntled looking Adrian and a sulky looking Juka.

"I suppose we should get going…" Tiffa sighed to Katrina.

"You don't think I'm actually _going_ with you?" Katrina asked, raising her eyebrow. Tiffa scowled.

"Okay, then you can stay here with Tai and Spiler," Tiffa jerked her thumb to the two guys, who were currently playing "Chopsticks" with their fingers.

"Haha! Four plus one equals five!"

"Oh crap! You win!"

"…I'll go with you."

With that, Katrina and Tiffa set off, making sure that there was at least a yard of space between them as they walked along Luca's streets.

"Hey…where'd Tiffa and Katrina go?" Tai asked, looking up from his game with Spiler. Now, only Tai, Briu, Luna and Spiler were left standing in front of the stadium doorway, looking as though they didn't know exactly where they were.

"Oh yeah! We're supposed to split up or something…" Spiler nodded. "Uhh…okay…I suppose the four of us can just…"

"Hey Puss!"

WHACK! Spiler fell over as a red and white blitzball hit him square in the back of the head, making him fall to the ground with a large "thunk". The ball bounced off his head and returned to its owner: Mair.

"Hey…it's that Mair girl," Briu realized.

"C'mon, we've got walking to do," Mair walked up to Spiler and grabbed him by the collar.

"H-hey Mair! Watch it!"

"Hey Spiler!" The group turned their heads to see Stiven running up from the locker room where the Goers were suiting up for their next match. "What's going on? You look dead."

"Friend?" Mair asked Spiler, who was started to regain his eyesight.

"I guess so…" Spiler sighed, standing up. "C'mon you two, let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Hey man, what about us?" Briu asked.

"You three can just go off together, can't you?" asked Spiler, sighing. "This is blitzers only."

"Blitzers only my ass…" Briu sighed as the three walked off together, Mair still limping slightly. "Well, let's go and enjoy the festivities, shall we?"

"Ooo! Who would've thought we'd run into you guys here?"

The three turned around to face none other then two women in orange-red clothing with four large dogs; two of which they recognized. It was Carolynin and Lindsayay, each holding two dogs, two of which they knew to be Tala and Artemis. The two others were large golden dogs with long tails. One had a brown stripe on its white belly.

"It's you two!" Briu realized, his eyes wide. "What are you doing in Luca?"

"THAT'S TOP SECRET!" They screamed, and the three fell back just as they done before.

"Actually, we came to see the blitzball game before the big mission!" Carolynin explained.

"Big mission?" Tai asked. "What big mission?"

"Carolynin, you blabber-mouth!" Lindsayay scolded. Carolynin turned red. "It's top secret Yevon forces info. You can't have it."

"Umm…okay…" Tai murmured. "Who are those two?" He pointed to the two new attack dogs and the two of them grinned and got down to hug the new dogs around the neck.

"Our new doggies of course!"

"They're multiplying…" Briu whispered to Tai.

"This is Seymour!" Lindsayay hugged the one with the brown stripe.

"And this is Mika!" Carolynin told them, hugging the other one. "We named them after the Maesters!"

"I wonder what Maester Seymour would say if he found out that a dog had been named after him…" Tai murmured to Briu.

"So, what are you guys up to?" Lindsayay asked the two of them.

"Nothing really," Briu sighed. "We got ditched by our friends."

"How horrible!" Carolynin exclaimed. She then looked at Lindsayay, then at Briu, then at Lindsayay again, and smirked. Lindsayay returned the smirk and the two stared at Briu. "You can walk around with us!"

"Huh?" Briu asked.

"But only you! Because you're so sweet!"

"And cute!"

"Woof!"

"See, even Mika agrees!"

Briu immediately had four arms around him, pulling him along away from the stadium. "H-hey! Wait a second!" But it was no use; Carolynin and Lindsayay picked up the pace, now sprinting along with their new pups towards the docks, leaving Tai dumbstruck.

"D-don't worry Briu! I'll save you!" Tai shouted to his lost companion and then continued to run after him. "Briu! Where'd you go?"

Before Luna had registered the situation, Tai was out of sight and she was standing alone in front of the stadium. She frowned, then grasped her doll by its hand and kicked a bit of dust out of the blue and gold carpet. "Well! That sure was mean of them!" She frowned once more. "Leaving me all alone like this!"

Giving a heavy sigh, Luna tucked her doll under her arm, kneeled on the ground, and then proceeded to somersault down the stairs. "WHEEEEE!" Shouting, Luna bounced down the stairs, bowling people over and making many duck out of the way before she hit the ground, landing straight on her feet. "Well… Since they're all gone, I guess I'll just go visit a friend!" Luna nodded. "He's here, that's for sure!"

With that, Luna plastered a huge grin on her face and skipped off towards the stadium doors; ready to go and meet her "friend".

* * *

"Blitz, blitz, they blitz all day, blitz, blitz, keeps the fiends away!" Luna sang loudly as she sprinted through the outer streets of Luca, her arms outstretched. Many people had to dodge the singing, sprinting girl as they went about their business. One man even had his hat blown off his head by Luna's outstretched wings of arms!

But Luna didn't pay the other people any sort of attention as she continued to run through Luca, finally reaching the central square where a large monument stood. Children ran around the village square; their balloons and blitzballs in hand. Elderly men stood in a corner, arguing about the ongoing game between the Luca Goers and the Guado Glories.

Luna didn't pay any attention to the game or the citizens of Luca enjoying the festivities. She went straight towards a large café towards the north of town with a long red carpet leading up to the entrance. She stopped in front of the entrance, then grinned and did a cartwheel up to the door.

"The mighty Luna strikes again!" Luna cried as she reached the door and threw it open. The many patrons of the café didn't pay her any mind. Most of their eyes were glued to the sphere screen where the Luca Goers Captain, Bickson, was currently stealing the ball from Zazi Guado, a member of the Glories.

But one man did not seem to be paying much attention to the blitzball match. He was an older man who looked to be in his forties or late thirties. His hair was flecked with gray and his eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses. A thick scar ran over one of his eyes, and he the hand that held his drink was a tan color with calluses and small scars.

Draped over his shoulders was a gigantic red jacket with golden and black trim, and under this garment were a pair of black pants and shoes. A large katana sword was strapped to his back, and he sipped his drink slowly.

There was a pause, and Luna just stood there, staring at the man. He took another small drink, then spoke up. "Don't just stand there in the door all day…you came here to see me…did you not?"

"Yay!" Luna shouted, scampering over to the man and plopping herself down on a stool next to him. "You remember me! Mr. Mean Ol' Auron remembers me!"

Auron didn't speak. He finished off his drink, then gave his lip a short lick. "Bartender…get this young lady here something to drink…"

"I'd like chocolate Chocobo milk!" Luna told the bar tender, and he smiled at her.

"Ready in a second, miss."

"…Chocolate Chocobo milk?" Auron asked. "What are you…a child?"

"Nope!" Luna grinned. "Nope, I'm not!"

"…what do they call you down here?"

"Luna! Luna, Luna, Luna!" Luna grinned. "They call me Luna!"

"I heard you the first time…" Auron muttered. "Bartender…I'd like another."

"Whatever you say, sir," the man nodded, putting down a large glass of chocolate colored liquid for Luna and taking Auron's glass. "This your daughter, here?"

Auron gave a small sarcastic laugh. "Her? If I had _her_ for a daughter, then I'd be even more senile then I already am…"

"That's not nice Auron!" Luna frowned. "And after all I do for you! Gosh!"

Auron paused, his expression growing darker. "So…is that you've come for? To remind me?"

"Remind you of what?"

"Don't play dumb…although…sometimes I wonder if you're playing."

"Ooohhh! THAT! Nope," Luna shook her head. "Our deal's done, Mister Auron Sir! I just came by to say hello-wello to a friend!"

The table next to them exploded into cheers, and many men started giving each other high-fives and jumping up and down. Auron didn't look over, but Luna did, cheering as well. "What just happened Borin-Auron?"

"…The Goers won their game."

"Oooohhh! Who's gonna play next? Who's gonna play next?" Luna asked, shaking Auron by his sleeve.

"The Ronso Fangs and the Kilika beasts! And after that are the Aurochs and the Psyches, little lady!" One of the men called from the table. "Lucky break for the Psyches if you ask me!"

"Yeah! The Aurochs are so bad, they don't stand a chance against the Al Bhed!" another man jeered.

"Those Aurochs will NEVER win a match!"

"You're wrong!" Luna shouted. The café went silent, and the men turned to face Luna. "They'll win! They'll win the game!"

The room was completely void of sound. The smallest clink of Auron's class on the counter seemed to be a deafening sound. Until, finally, one man spoke up.

"You want to put money on that, little lady?" one man laughed.

"I don't have any money…" Luna frowned.

"Well, then I guess you can't bet!" The man jeered, and the others chimed in. "Good thing too! Wouldn't want to waste your money on a useless bet!"

A jingling of coins filled the café as the man found a sack of gil in his hand. "Uhh…huh?"

"It's from me…" murmured Auron from the counter. "Three thousand gil on the Aurochs for the next match."

"Three thousand? You're gonna throw all that away old man?" One man asked, frowning.

"To be precise, three thousand two hundred and seventy one gil…" Auron smirked. "That's all the money this 'old man' has."

"You're betting all your dough on a throw-away game?" one man cried. "That's crazy gramps!"

"It's not a throw-away…" said Auron. "This young woman is usually right with these premonitions she has…let's just say…I trust her word."

"All right old man!" The man sighed. "It's your money!"

"You didn't have to bet your shiny stuff to prove I'm right!" Luna muttered to Auron. "That shiny stuff's important, isn't it?"

"Very. Your point?"

"They'll see I'm right!" Luna smiled. "You didn't have to bet your shiny stuff!"

"I didn't do it for you…I know you're correct as well. Consider it…intelligent gambling."

"…Do you hate me Mr. Auron?" Luna asked.

Auron paused, then took a sip of his drink. "Yes."

Luna looked at Auron, and then smiled a gigantic grin that seemed almost too large for her face. Auron's comment obviously hadn't gotten to her.

"I'll be going now!" Luna told Auron, getting up from her seat and walking towards the exit of the café. "I got to go meet another friend!"

"You won't find them in here…"

"Not that kind of friend! Another friend!" she smiled. "One who I haven't met yet!"

"…fine. Do what you want. It's your choice."

"Okay! I'll be going now! See you Auron!" Luna gave an energetic wave to Auron, then skipped out of the café, throwing open the door and closing it behind her.

But no sooner then she had closed the door, it opened again, and Auron walked out from behind her. "Where you going?" Luna asked. "What about your shiny things?"

"The match hasn't started," Auron explained. "I'll be back to collect my money once it's over."

"Then…do you want to walk with me?" Luna asked. "Cause if you do, you can't! You just can't! It just wouldn't work! Nope; wouldn't, wouldn't work!" She shook her head vivaciously and Auron walked past her.

"No…I don't want to walk with you. I have other business to attend to…" With that, Auron walked up the stairs towards the bridge of Luca. In a minute, he was out of Luna's sight.

"Okay, okay then!" Luna jumped up and down. "Time to go meet Yuna! Yeppers, time to go meet Yuna! Hey…" Luna frowned, as if thinking. She then exploded into a fit of giggles. "Yuna rhymes with Luna! Luna Yuna, Yuna Luna!" Luna sang as she spun in circles, holding her doll out in front of her.

"Excuse me…were you just saying my name?"

Luna looked up and grinned to see none other then a pretty girl with brown flipped hair walking towards her from across the town square. She wore a long purple skirt and a white top with tall black boots. Across her stomach was an obi belt, and she had sleeves attached at her elbows that were colored pink and white. "…were you just saying 'Yuna'?"

"Yuuuuna!" Luna sang. "You're the summoner Yuna?"

"Yes…I am Yuna," Yuna smiled and then bowed to the girl. She offered her the prayer, then returned to her topic. "So…do you know me?"

"Hmm…yes and no…" Luna smiled. "You're looking for something, aren'tcha?"

"…Umm…yes," Yuna nodded. "I'm looking…for a person who knows someone."

"Hmm?" Luna asked, frowning. "Well…you wouldn't be looking for Auron would ya?"

"Sir Auron!" Yuna gasped. "Do you know where he is?"

"I saw him in that café," Luna grinned, pointing to the café. "Right there! Saw him with my own two eyes!"

"Oh, thank you so much!" Yuna laughed, offering Luna a prayer. "I have to go get him! He'll be so excited! Excuse me!" With that, Yuna ran off, leaving Luna alone once again in the town square.

"Be careful!" Luna called after her, smiling. "Those Al Bhed are tricky!"

* * *

"We're –"

"Really –"

"BORED!" Carolynin and Lindsayay shouted together, their arms still around Briu's neck. "We're really, really BORED!"

"What do you want? We've been all over Luca, buying you food and watching movies!" Briu panted, Tai behind him.

"Yeah! You six," Tai motioned to the girls and their dogs, "are slave-drivers!"

"Don't hate us because we're so cute!" Carolynin grinned.

"Oh look!" Lindsayay pointed up to the sphere screen above the movie theater they were currently at. It was showing the results of the match between the Ronso Fangs and the Kilika Beasts. "Kilika won! One goal to nothing!"

"Well, Mair and Spiler will be glad," Briu shrugged to Tai. "But they have to play the Goers next right?"

"Yeah, but not before the Psyches play the Aurochs," Carolynin reminded them. "It's a good thing that the Psyches will be in the finals this year. They haven't gotten to the final round in so long and--"

"Hey!" Tai frowned, his cheeks growing red. "The Aurochs haven't lost yet! Give 'em a chance!"

"They suck…" Lindsayay said bluntly, making Tai facefault. "Give it up red-head muffin! They're never gonna win!"

"Muffin?" Briu asked, raising an eyebrow. "Anyway, do you want to head back to the stadium for the game? Before that will be the Kilika Beasts and the Luca Goers. Should be a good show."

"Nah…" Carolynin yawned. "The dogs…"

"Are tired," Lindsayay agreed. "We're going to head back to our hotel room, if that's okay with you guys."

"Will you be at the finals?" Briu asked and they nodded.

"Yeah! But those aren't for around two or three hours!" Carolynin told them. "Do you guys have tickets?"

"Uh huh," Tai nodded, holding up his ticket that Albatross had given him. "Really good seats too."

"Then we'll see you there!" Lindsayay smiled and waved to them. "Off we go! C'mon pups!"

"Bye!" Carolynin called to the two as they walked out of sight into the crowd.

"Finally! We're free," Briu sighed. "They were vicious!"

"That's for sure…" sighed a relieved Tai. "Can't believe how aggressive they are! Took all our money and spent it on themselves too!"

"So, should we head back to the stadium to check up on the others?" Briu asked Tai and Tai shrugged.

"Well…Adrian and Juka are off with Lord Albatross. Tiffa's with Katrina and Ashnigh's with Lairon…" Tai murmured. "Spiler is with Mair and Stiven. …Funny, are we missing someone?"

Both Briu and Tai frowned, racking their brains. "I don't think so…" Briu shrugged. "Well, you were the last one to leave. Did you leave anyone?"

Tai frowned, then gulped. "Oh crap! We left Luna alone!"

"Crud! Do you think something happened to her?" Briu asked.

"No! I don't fear for _her_ safety! More of Luca's safety! We got to find her!"

"Right!" Briu nodded. "Let's split up and find her!"

"Okay man!" Tai nodded. "Meet back here in twenty minutes!"

"Right!" With that, the two ran off in opposite directions, shouting Luna's name and pushing their way through the crowds.

"…" Luna's head slowly popped out of a nearby bush on the path. She gave a wide grin and hugged her doll. "They're looking for Luna! Hide and seek, hide and seek! I LOVE hide and seek!"

Skipping off away from Tai and Briu, Luna sang a loud song and continued to spin around on the streets of Luca, paying no heed to the other spectators slowly milling through the walkway.

* * *

"…Umm…you were really great in the game."

"Thank you."

Silence.

"You look really nice today."

"Thank you."

Silence.

"Heh…this is awkward…."

"Yes."

Lairon gave a great sigh. "I guess this is pointless right? We haven't talked for over ten minutes. Do you want to say something?"

"…Yes," Ashnigh nodded to Lairon. The two were traversing the bridges of Luca, walking slowly, remaining relatively silent. "I do."

"Ashnigh…if you don't want to be my girlfriend, all you had to say was 'no thank you'…" Lairon said bitterly, looking down at his shoes.

"No…quite the contrary."

Lairon looked up hopefully to see Ashnigh smiling at him. He returned the smile, and slowly took her hand. She didn't retaliate, and he squeezed it lightly as the two continued to walk down the street.

"Excuse me…can I have your autograph?"

Ashnigh looked down to see a small girl holding a blitzball up for her. "My autograph?"

"My brother told me to get your autograph," the girl giggled and pointed to a young man behind her. He blushed crimson and ran up to her. "He wanted to meet you and--"

"I think that's enough Meina!" the man laughed, picking up his little sister and depositing her behind him. "Sorry about that, but kids will be kids, right?"

"Right," Ashnigh laughed, nodding. Lairon gave the man a death glare. "I assume you saw our team in the tournament?"

"Yeah! You were amazing! When you saved that goal and all! You're just as good as the pros!"

This was obvious flattery, but Ashnigh didn't bring the man's false praise up. "Thank you. That's very kind of you."

Lairon slipped his hand around Ashnigh's waist and drew her into him. "I hope you don't mind. We're taking a walk," Lairon muttered darkly.

With that, Lairon swept Ashnigh away from the man and the little girl. As they departed from the two, Ashnigh overheard the man muttering, "Dammit. Well, it's to be expected. A hot babe like that has a boyfriend for sure."

"Getting jealous?" Ashnigh asked, looking at Lairon accusingly before slipping out of his grasp.

"W-well we are together aren't we?" Lairon shrugged. "You can't blame me for getting jealous over someone as beautiful as you," he murmured, a small purr in his voice as he slipped his hand around Ashnigh's waist again. Ashnigh didn't shrug him off.

"Now _you're_ the one doing the flattering," Ashnigh giggled.

"Well it's better then that "pro blitzer" crap that the other guy was spewing," Lairon laughed and Ashnigh did too.

"What? You're saying I'm not as good as a pro?" Ashnigh put on a false face of anger. "Just you wait! I'll become a pro blitzer and make so much money that I won't know what to do with it."

"Oh you will, will you?" Lairon teased.

"Yes! And then you'll be sorry you ever made fun of me because I won't give you a gil of it!" Ashnigh remarked. "And I'll spend it all on new shoes and dresses! What do you say to _that_ Mr. Lairon?"

"Hey, as long as you look pretty in the new dresses, I couldn't think of a better use for the money," Lairon breathed into Ashnigh's ear, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. A small shiver went through Ashnigh, and she frowned and pulled away. "What's wrong Ashnigh?" Lairon asked.

"…I'm just…still a little cold when it comes to men," Ashnigh smiled wearily. "I'm sorry Lairon."

"Don't apologize," Lairon shook his head. "Let's get back to the stadium. I hear the Aurochs and the Psyches have almost finished their game."

Ashnigh and Lairon made their way down the stairs of the bridge, holding hands lightly. Soon, they were out of sight and making their way towards the stadium.

"…" Out of a potted plant popped none other then Luna, a wide smile on her face. "Well, well, well! Looks like things are going good with them! As long as Ashnigh stays true, then everything will work out! Yep it will!"

Luna hopped out of the plant landing right in front of the man and the girl from before. "Huh?" the girl murmured as Luna snatched her blitzball and pen and quickly autographed the ball. She passed it back to the girl, and the girl stared at it. "The Amazing Magic Luna?"

But before the girl could look up from the ball, Luna had jumped off the railing and down the stairs.

* * *

"Ow! Adrian, you stepped on my foot!"

"I did not. You just tripped on the carpet."

"Now girls, stop fighting," Albatross laughed. He, Juka, and Adrian were circling the Luca docks. "Let's try to enjoy ourselves while we're in Luca, shall we?"

"Yeah! Let's go party!" Juka cheered.

"We've got a hotel suite we can hang out in after the game," Albatross told her. "The perks of being a future Maester."

"SWEET!" cheered Juka, jumping up and down. "Let's eat when we get there!"

"Sure! You got it! We'll have an eating contest!" Albatross insisted.

"Oh yeah! You're going down Mr. Maester Man!"

Adrian rolled her eyes. "Juka, we're not going. After this…distraction…we're heading straight to the Mihen Highroad."

"HUH? No party?" Juka asked, her eyes wide. "Don't be so lame! We've got to go to the party!"

"Sorry for my 'lameness', but we're not going," said Adrian. "And that's final."

"Sorry Juka, but Adrian's right," Albatross shrugged, winking at her. "The pilgrimage is more important then stuffing chips in your face."

"Who says?" Juka asked, but she was interrupted as three people sprinted past her towards a farther dock. "Hmm…what?"

She turned around to see that leading the way was a relatively small Ronso (He was huge compared to the three humans) with white hair and a long spear. His back was decorated with golden fur, and his Ronso horn was broken. His tail had a white wisp at the end of it.

Following him was a dark looking lady wearing a low cut dress with long sleeves. Her hair was placed up in a bun with braids flowing down, and she held a doll in her hand, much like Luna.

But then, suddenly, Juka turned to see the last member of the group run past her. He was a young man, a little older then her, with blond layered hair and blue eyes. He had on a golden colored shirt with an armguard and black pants with different leg lengths. His feet were decorated with yellow shoes and black socks, and in his hand was a long blue sword with a red sash attached to the handle.

"Huh…?" Juka asked as the three ran by them, obviously in a great hurry. She furrowed her brow and couldn't stop staring at the young man with the blond hair.

"Where were they going I wonder…?" asked Adrian, quirking an eyebrow. "I liked the woman's dress…"

"They're obviously in a hurry," Albatross smiled. "We shouldn't bother them. Let's head back to the stadium, shall we? The Aurochs and the Psyches should be almost finished with their game."

"Umm…all right," Juka nodded and Adrian also agreed, walking behind Albatross. Juka turned around to see the three run past a corner and out of sight. "Weird…but that guy…seems really funky to me."

"Juka! You're falling behind!" Adrian snapped at Juka. Juka turned around and nodded to Adrian, following behind them.

"Guess it's time to head back," Juka admitted. But, just then, she, Albatross, and Adrian all stepped back as they saw three machina robots come and head left, taking the other direction instead of the ones the other three had taken. Juka, Albatross, and Adrian all stared after them, rather confused. "That…was weird."

"None of my business," Adrian snapped. "Let's go already!"

With that, the three headed off, away from the docks, heading towards the stadium to see the results of the latest game.

"Hmm…"

Hanging from the ceiling was none other then Luna, grasping the rafters with her hands. "Juka notices him more then the others. Funny, funny! I really should just tell him, but he won't believe me. And I'll get in trouble! Lots and lots of trouble!" Luna looked back to see another huge wave of robots coming towards her, scurrying off towards the three who had run by. "Well, well. This isn't exactly fair. Let's even the odds," Luna smiled and lifted her hand. "THUNDAGA!" she called, and huge bolts of lightning fell upon the army of machina. They fell to the ground, broken. "There!"

Luna jumped down and landed in the pile of machines. "Two last stops, then the game!"

* * *

"You were cool out there, you two," Mair said to the two boys following her. They blushed and look down at their shoes.

"I can't believe I even played with an amateur like him!" Stiven laughed, throwing his head back.

"Hey! The same could be said for you," Spiler growled.

"What did you say?" Stiven asked threateningly.

"You heard me, wuss!"

"If you two don't shove it right this minute, I'm going to kick both your asses," she warned them, narrowing her eyes in their direction. "With my good foot."

Spiler drew back, obviously scared. Stiven whispered to him, "This chick really that scary?"

"Uh huh. Usually she kicked me with her bad foot, and that hurt enough!"

"She _kicked_ you?"

"Anyway, I didn't come to talk to you about blitz," Mair said to Spiler. "I came to talk to you about your plans. Are you really going to be so wishy washy about your guardianship to Lady Adrian?"

"Course not!" Spiler snapped back. "Of course I'm serous about the pilgrimage!"

"Didn't seem so today," Mair shot back. "Seemed like all you cared about was blitzing in this stupid tournament." Spiler winced at her criticism. "Ophelia would be upset."

"I told you to stop talking about Ophelia…" Spiler muttered.

"Old girlfriend?" Stiven asked and Spiler shot him a look that promptly shut him up. "Jeez, what's your problem?"

"It's not like you had anything to do with her death," Mair shot at Spiler. "Stop acting like the tragic hero. It's really biting my nerves."

"I guess _you're_ the tragic hero Mair," Spiler smiled weakly. "You saved my life back then. I guess I was just too weak to defend myself."

"Pitiful," Mair snapped, and Spiler looked up, surprised. "You're a man, aren't you? Start acting like one! It's embarrassing enough I had to save you back then, but now you should be the strong one around here, not the crippled girl." Mair looked back at him, her eyebrows lowered. "So get your act together, got that?"

Spiler paused, looked at his feet, and then chuckled. "Right, Mair! Next time, it's my eye that's getting taken out!" He clenched his fist and looked her straight in the eye. "That I can promise you!"

"Good," Mair sighed. "Cause being blind in one eye is bad enough, thank you very much." She continued to limp around the streets of Luca, Stiven and Spiler at her tail. "Don't want to lose the other one."

"…"

Popping out from behind a concession stand, Luna eyed the three leaving the town square. Her eyes narrowed and she grinned. "Miss Mair sure plays the tough girl well, that she does. She should be given an award for her performance!" Luna grinned. "An award! Yeppers! A real big shiny one! But Miss Mair will be fine with what's coming up. Yep, yep she will!"

With that Luna ducked behind the concession stand, grabbed a frozen lemonade sherbet, and ran off towards wherever she was happening to go next.

* * *

"When I said 'let's stop fighting and do something fun', I didn't imagine that we'd go to the Luca sphere theater and watch ALL of your favorite battles," Tiffa said sharply to Katrina.

The two were currently standing in Luca's sphere theater at one of the sphere receptacles, watching battle after battle of Katrina's. Most were against bandits or fiends, and Katrina always gave a large smirk at Tiffa when she did a rather impressive move on the sphere.

"Yeah, I remember that one. About a week back. Did you see how I jumped straight over that fiend and just slashed 'em with my Hawk Eye?" Katrina asked, obviously enjoying this activity quite a bit.

"Yeah, I saw it," Tiffa muttered. "Just like I saw the last fifty moves you pointed out." The sphere ended and Katrina took it out, looking for the next one. "Can we PLEASE do something else? Like watch a movie or something? A REAL movie?"

"C'mon, this is the last one," Katrina told her, inserting the sphere and pressing 'play'. "And I bet you'll like it."

Tiffa looked at the image to see that the sphere contained none other then the battle between her and Katrina. Tiffa was powering up her flame bullets and her overdrive. "Yeah…I remember that really well," Katrina muttered bitterly. "But I've got a new longsword."

"I saw that," Tiffa remarked, looking at Katrina's new Longsword strapped to her back. "Good thing too, since I melted your other one."

"No need to remind me of the fact," Katrina growled. "Anyway, let's go." She snatched the sphere out of its socket and stuffed it back into her bag. "The Aurochs game has ended and the finals should be starting soon."

"Hey…" Tiffa murmured to Katrina. "Do you hate Ashnigh?"

Katrina looked up at Tiffa and sighed, "What? You're going to give me an 'I'm her friend so lay off' speech if I say yes?"

"No," Tiffa shook her head. "Ashnigh and I aren't really friends. I was just curious."

"Well, if that's the case," said Katrina, "then yes. I hate her. Lairon used to belong to me before Ashnigh came into the picture."

"You two were dating?"

"No," Katrina said, looking away, rather embarrassed. "But I know he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend!"

"I doubt that," Tiffa sighed, shaking her head. "Anyway, I agree with you. Let's get back, shall we?"

"Whatever," Katrina shrugged. With that, the two women left the sphere theater, choosing to remain silent.

"…"

Climbing up the balcony of the sphere theater, Luna peered over the edge to see the two of them go. She smiled and jumped up, performing an impressive jump over the edge and a spin in the air. "Hmm…I do feel bad for Miss Katrina. Too bad for her of what's to come. She might feel torn," Luna shrugged. "But I can't do much!" She laughed, then jumped back down the balcony of the sphere theater.

"I guess it's time for the game! Yep, yep!" Luna nodded. "I'll go meet Mr. Auron too!"

* * *

"Hey guys! You made it back!" Juka called to the group standing in front of the stadium. Truthfully, they had all made it back just as the Finals were about to start.

"And you won't believe whose playing!" laughed Lairon. "The Luca Goers--"

"Of course," said Stiven, making Spiler shoot him a look.

"And the _Besaid Aurochs_!"

"The Aurochs are in the finals?"

The group turned to see a very flustered looking Tai and a very frazzled looking Briu running towards them, obviously out of breath. Tai ran up to them, a smile on his face. "The Aurochs are in the finals? Really?"

"Uhh…yeah," Albatross nodded. "What happened to you two?"

"W-We…were looking for Luna!" Briu panted. "She got lost! We haven't been able to find her!"

"Hey…where _is_ Luna?" Juka asked, looking around.

"Right over there," the group turned to see none other then Kevi walking up behind them, smoothing his hair down and sighing. They then looked to where Kevi was pointing to see none other then the green-clad Black Mage cartwheeling towards them.

When she stopped and rose to her feet, she gave them a wide grin. "Hello-wello! Luna had lots of fun exploring!"

"Luna! Where the heck were you?" Briu asked, his eyes wide. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Luna was everywhere at once!" Luna laughed. "Yep, sure was!"

"Luna, as usual, makes no sense," sighed Spiler. "Anyway, let's go in and see the game! Kevi," he turned to the axeman, "I can't believe you got away from your folks."

"I told them I had to go to the bathroom," he said, sighing. "But we should hurry or they'll suspect something and come after--"

"Kevi honey!" An all too familiar voice called, and the group turned around to see Reirana and Yeinin running after their son. "You were gone for a long time, so we came after you! We thought you might have been kidnapped!"

"I was only gone for a minute…"

"Oh! It's your friends!" Yeinin observed. "Do you have tickets to the final game as well?"

"Yes sir," Albatross stepped forward, offering Yeinin a prayer. "I am Lord Albatross, next in line to become Maester. I've offered your son a seat at the tournament."

"Lord Albatross!" Reirana gasped. "Kevi, I didn't know you had such high connections! If you were a girl, I'd ask you to marry him!"

"One, that's creepy. And two," Kevi muttered, "Mom, Dad, I'm going to sit with them for the last game."

"But Kevi, we haven't seen you in so long!" Reirana insisted to her son. "And wouldn't you rather sit next to your Mommy?"

"Come on, my boy, don't disappoint your mother!" Yeinin chortled. "You're sitting with us, end of story!"

"No!" Kevi spun around and looked his parents straight in the eye. "Not end of story! I'm an adult now, and I make my own decisions! I'm sitting with my troupe and Lord Albatross!"

"Kevi, don't speak to your father that way," Reirana scolded him.

"I'll speak to him like an adult, cause that's what I am!" Kevi snapped. "I'm tired of you treating me like a little kid! I'm old enough to take care of myself!"

"But Kevi--" Yeinin began.

"Just shut up!" shouted Kevi. "I hate the way you guys treat me! I wish that you would just mind your own damn business!"

Reirana and Yeinin looked shocked. Kevi looked away and motioned for the group to follow him. Awkward, they did, walking slowly through the archway to the stadium. All of them gave Reirana and Yeinin final looks of sympathy, which they didn't pick up on or return.

"You shouldn't have said that Kevi," Ashnigh told him.

"Don't you go treating me the way they did," Kevi snapped coldly, and Ashnigh backed off.

"You really shouldn't have said that!" Kevi turned around to see none other then Luna walking next to him, hugging her doll and looking at her shoes. "You'll be sorry later!"

"I highly doubt that," scoffed Kevi. "Mind your own business Luna! What would you have said if you had parents like those?"

"I don't have any parents," Luna told him. Kevi looked at her, then looked away, embarrassed.

"W-Well consider yourself lucky! They're a pain in the neck!" Kevi knew he shouldn't have said that, considering Luna's parents were obviously dead, but he didn't want to admit he was wrong. "You're really lucky!"

"I guess," Luna smiled, and Kevi looked at her, surprised. "I guess I am!"

"C'mon guys, let's go sit down!" Albatross told them, motioning to the high box where the Maesters were. "Our seats are right below those."

The group filed into their box of seats and sat down, waiting for the game to start. Ashnigh was constantly fixing her hair and glancing upwards. Tiffa shot her a look and sighed. "They're just the Maesters. They're not going to come and interview you or anything."

"The Maesters are very important!" Ashnigh told her. "You should be more respectful."

"Oh! Maester Mika just announced the start of the game!" Tai told them, almost hopping up and down for excitement. "The players are coming out!"

"_And here they are, Bobba_!" Jimma's voice called from the announcer's box. "_The Besaid Aurochs!_"

"_Their captain, Wakka, took a pretty hard hit and won't be playing in this final match it seems," _Bobba said. _"But they have a replacement, ready to play! Let's see how long they last, shall we?"  
_

"The announcers sure are harsh…" Juka observed and Tai growled in the direction of the announcer's box.

"Just watch! The Aurochs can still win, even without their best player!" Tai told them. "And I bet the replacement is really good!"

"Wouldn't count on it," Stiven remarked. Tai looked over at the arrogant blitzer, as if asking him to continue. "He's supposedly nuts. Says he's from Zanarkand. Used to be their 'star player'."

"Man! He _is_ crazy!" Tai laughed. "Oh well! Who says crazy people can't blitz?"

"This is so ridiculous," Adrian muttered to Ashnigh. "I could have _been_ in Zanarkand by now if it weren't for this stupid tournament."

"Oh, it seems fun," Ashnigh smiled warmly. "Just try to enjoy it Adrian."

"Ahh, Lady Adrian and guardians I see."

The group looked up to see none other then Maester Seymour standing in front of them. Obviously, he had come down a level from the Maester's box to come and pay them a visit. Adrian looked rather displeased, but Briu jumped from his seat to go and greet Seymour. "Yo! Seymour! What's up?"

"Hello Briu," Seymour smiled. "It's a shame that the Glories lost, but I suppose that it's a Maester's job to not have any affiliation in order to maintain the peace."

"Can you believe the Aurochs are in the finals?" Briu motioned to the ongoing game. "What an upset, right?"

"Yes," Seymour smiled towards the direction of the sphere pool. "I hear the Captain is one of Lady Yuna's guardians."

"Is she all he ever thinks about?" Adrian rasped to Ashnigh, who quickly made a shushing noise.

As if on cue, Luna jumped from her seat and started to move towards the stairs. "Where are you going Luna?" Albatross asked her.

"I've got to go meet a friend!" she told them. "Yep! By now he's around three thousand gil richer, thanks to me!" With that, she sprinted off down the stairs, leaving her party behind.

"I wonder what she could be talking about…" Lairon asked Albatross.

"Probably just an old acquaintance," Seymour guessed. "She's an odd girl…" His eyes narrowed as he watched Luna walk off. "Very odd. Don't you think so Briu?"

"Yeah," Briu nodded. "Luna is pretty weird. Whenever I'm around her, I get these funky vibes. But I bet it's just because she's so weird."

"And these vibes are much different from others I know," Seymour smiled. "Others close to me. I believe that Miss Luna might be a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"More like a pile of jello in sheep's clothing," joked Juka, and the others laughed. "Luna's so weird, I'm surprised she even aims her magic straight!"

"Anyway, I must be going," Seymour told them, walking down the stairs. "I have an appointment with a friend before the game ends."

"Hey, you're missing the big game?" Briu asked. "No way man!"

"I, too, am grieved, but I'm afraid that this matter takes precedence," Seymour smiled back up at Briu. "I shall see you all in the future I hope."

With that, the blue haired Maester walked off down the stairs and Briu returned to his seat in order to watch the match.

"_The Aurochs are playing surprisingly well, Bobba. But the Goers are still leading 1-0."_

"_This new player seems to be giving them an edge of some sort, wouldn't you say, Jimma?"_

"Wonder who he is…" Juka murmured, looking up at the sphere screen. They flashed a close-up of the player and Juka gasped. "Albatross! Adrian, look! It's that blonde guy from before!"

Adrian and Albatross looked over at the screen and realized it was true. It was the blonde warrior from before who had been with the dark looking woman and the Ronso with the broken horn. "So he's the nutcase…" Adrian murmured.

Juka stared at the man, quite entranced by him. "He's…so weird. Something about him."

"Look! The Aurochs are shooting!" Tai grabbed Juka's shirt and pointed to the sphere pool. True, the blonde player was performing an odd shot. He rose into the water, spinning, and kicked the ball with his moving foot.

"Woah! The shot's so fast!" gasped Spiler. "He must be a really great Blitzer to pull off a shot like that!"

"But will it make it?" asked Tiffa, leaning over her chair.

"It's going…going…" Tai bit his lip, staring at the sphere pool. "I can't look!"

"_It-It's in! The Aurochs score just before halftime! 1-1! What a huge upset! The Aurochs fans are going wild, Bobba!"_

"_Who would have ever thought that this was possible, Jimma? The Aurochs might have a chance at the cup!"_

"We did it!" Tai shouted, jumping up and down with Juka, Spiler, and Briu. "We scored! Only one more and we're the champions!"

"I can't believe it!" Lairon laughed. "It's actually tied!"

Stiven looked rather miffed by the recent goal. "Lucky shot."

* * *

"Hello there Mr. Auron!"

Luna ran through the crowd of people to run into none other then the taciturn red coat wearing swordsman from before: Auron. He looked at her down through his glasses, his eyes dark. "What do you want?"

"You'd better thank me for that bet you won!" Luna grinned. "Say 'thank you Luna'!"

Auron paused, then muttered, "Thanks. But I'm the one who put the money forward. Anyway…that's not what you wanted to talk about, is it?"

"Awww, you read me like a book!" Luna smiled. "Nope, that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Then what?" snapped Auron. "I'm a busy man. I have no time."

"Protect everyone!" Luna told him very sternly. Auron looked at her, then narrowed his eyes. "Don't let anyone die! If you do, I'll never forgive you!"

Auron paused, then nodded. "I promise."

"Thanks Auron!" she smiled, throwing her arms around the middle-aged man, making him sigh dejectedly.

"Get off of me…"

* * *

"WA-KKA! WA-KKA!"

"_They seem…to be cheering for Wakka folks!"_

Tai had joined in the cheering for the captain of the Besaid Aurochs. The score was still tied, but the Goers were gaining the advantage and it was only a matter of time until they scored. "What's wrong Tai?" Juka asked.

"This is Wakka's team!" Tai told her. "It's only fair he should play! WA-KKA! WA-KKA!"

Juka nodded to the rest of the troupe, and they too began to cheer for the leader of the Besaid Aurochs. It was around two minutes into the second half, and, slowly, Juka saw that the blonde player was leaving the sphere pool.

"He's leaving!" she told them. "Wakka's coming back out!"

"Look!" Tai pointed to the sphere pool as none other then the red-headed captain of the Besaid Aurochs, Wakka came swimming into the sphere pool, ready to grab the next serve and win the game for the Aurochs.

"_And they're off! Letty passes to Datto! Oh, but the ball is stolen by Balgerda! This is turning rough already Bobba!"_

"Man! The Goers aren't giving the Aurochs any chances on goal!" Spiler said. "They're really going all out!"

"_An impressive tackle by Wakka! The ball's now in the Auroch's control!"_

"See?" Tai grinned. "If anyone can turn this game around, it's Wakka!"

"_A shot on goal, deflected by Abus! Too bad! Nice try Aurochs!"_

"_And the ball is once again in the Goers control! They mean business this time, Jimma!"_

"Man!" Tai bit his thumb. "This game is so close! I have no idea who's going to win!"

"Don't you faith in your beloved Borouchs?" Adrian asked sarcastically, still reclining in her chair.

"The Aurochs! And yes, I do! Of course they'll win!" Tai grinned. "Just watch!"

"_With only one minute remaining in the game, the Goers currently have control of the ball and are moving it up the sphere pool!"_

"_A pass to Bickson…it goes through! Bickson takes a shot on goal!"_

Tai held his breath as the ball flew towards the goal. He wondered if Keepa was going to block it…

"_And it's deflected! What's this? Wakka has grabbed the ball folks and is swimming rapidly up the sphere pool!"_

"_H-He's completely open, Bobba! The Goers are all on the offensive!"_

"Come on, Wakka!" shouted Tai. "You can do it!"

Wakka was swimming up the sphere pool at an amazing speed with the ball tucked into his hand. The Goers were trying to swim back, but Wakka was quite ahead of them. He was going full force towards the goal, and in one sweeping motion, he dropped the ball and kicked it straight for the goal!

BZZZTT! _"I-I-It's IN! Folks, the goal has been scored and time is up! The Aurochs have won the game, 2-1 in the final seconds! What an upset! The Aurochs, after ten years of losing, have come back to win the cup!"_

"YES!" Tai screamed, jumping up and down with the rest of the gang, cheering on the Auroch's victory. "We win! Besaid Aurochs win!"

"Wakka looks pretty tired out there…" Tiffa observed, looking at Wakka, who still hadn't left the Sphere pool. Instead, he was aimlessly swimming around, as if thinking about something.

"Hey look! It's the blonde guy!" Juka said, pointing to the sphere pool. Truthfully, the reserve player from before was now swimming into the pool to greet Wakka. There was a pause between them, and then the blonde guy looked around hastily.

"Hey…what's wrong with him?" Tiffa asked, quirking an eyebrow. Now, all twelve of them were standing up and staring at the sphere pool where Wakka and "the blonde guy" were.

"Look!" Adrian shouted, pointing to the pool. The gang obliged her and gasped as they saw none other then a gang of Sahagin fiends swimming towards the two helpless blitzers.

"Oh my gosh!" said Ashnigh, pointing to her right. "Look!"

"FIENDS!" The crowd was already in a panic. Lupin wolves had already run in followed by lizard, bird, and other fiends. They had already started attacking the crowd, and overhead were lard reptile birds.

"Let's go!" Adrian commanded and the gang nodded, grabbing their weapons and moving out.

They were immediately blocked by a large flying reptile, and Adrian took no time in drawing her staff. "Stand back! I'll summon Shiva!" Adrian dropped her staff to the ground and began to perform her summoning dance. "SHIVA!" she screamed and raised the staff into the air. Ice spikes fell around her and her staff began to spew ice from the tip. She sprinkled the ice around her, stepped back, and, from the circle she had made, Shiva rose in all her glory.

"Shiva! Attack!" Adrian commanded her Aeon, and Shiva did as she was told, sprinting up to the reptile and giving it a sharp kick across the face, sending it reeling backwards. "Heavenly Strike!" Adrian commanded next, and Shiva wasted no time in gathering her energy and impaling the monster with her ice spikes. It fell, dead, and exploded into a cloud of pyreflies.

"Let's go!" Adrian commanded, dismissing Shiva back into her staff. The ice around them disappeared and the group continued, striking down any fiends that got in their way.

* * *

"Stay on your guard," Auron commanded to Luna as he sliceda shell fiend with his sword. He and Luna were back to back, surrounded by fiends, but fighting back.

"Of course, of course!" Luna told him. "FIRAGA!" She cast the spell and a Lupin fiend fell to the ground, scorched and dead.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Auron asked her.

"What's the fun in doing _that_?" Luna grinned. "They chose this path, didn't they? And I choose to strike them down! THUNDAGA!" A powerful thunder spell came from her fingertips, grounding a bird fiend and destroying it. "I have to go Mr. Auron-Man! My friends are waiting!"

"Fine. We're done here anyway," Auron told her, striking down the final slowish fiend. "I see this as an excellent chance for me to lose you."

"The same could be said of you!" Luna giggled, running away from Auron. "Don't forget your promise!" she yelled to him. "Don't forget!"

"…Promises are for fools," Auron muttered once Luna was out of earshot. "I'm keeping only two right now. Yours is of no consequence to me."

With that, Auron turned his head to see none other then a large Drake fiend coming towards him. Many frightened civilians sprinted past him, but he simply gave a small chuckled, took his arm out of its sleeve, and bared down to face the creature.

* * *

"Dammit!" Juka cursed as the Lupin knocked her to her feet. She rose her sword and stabbed it, making it explode into a cloud of pyreflies, but not before wounding her. "These things are everywhere!"

"Watch out!" shouted Kevi as another huge flying reptile bounded down, striking both Tai and Tiffa in the stomachs. "Damn! We don't have enough energy to beat this one down!"

"We can at least try!" Spiler told Kevi, kicking his blitzball towards the monster, only to have it dodged the ball and strike Spiler across the chest, making him reel backwards.

"Spiler!" yelled Ashnigh. "Cure!" Her staff glowed slightly, then fell out of her hand. "Oh no! I'm out of magic power! I can't heal you guys!"

"And Albatross went off with Katrina, Lairon, and Stiven," Adrian muttered, clutching her staff. "I'm out of magic too."

"HYAH!" Tiffa threw one of her knives at the monster, but it barely affected the gargantuan being. The monster plucked the knife out as you would a splinter and struck at Tiffa with its talons. "Th-This is hopeless!"

The monster turned to Adrian and bared its fangs. It opened its large mouth and flew towards her. The guardians were too damaged to move, and Adrian had no more power! She closed her eyes and waited for the impact!

"Adrian, no!" Ashnigh screamed, tears in her eyes.

"Watch out!" Kevi screamed.

"Adrian, get out of the way!" Spiler shrieked.

But it was no use. Adrian couldn't move, and the monster was coming closer! With a fowl flap of its huge wings, it swooped down, ready to take Adrian's head off!

"STOP!"

The monster stopped mid-air, its mouth still open and inches away from Adrian. It promptly closed it and flew into the air, turning around.

"STOP, OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

The group looked up and gasped at what they saw. It was none other then Luna, her hand outstretched, her eyes livid with rage.

But that wasn't what surprised them. Luna's hat was gone, torn to shreds probably by fiends. Her glasses were broken, the glass falling off due to the electrical energy surrounding her. Her hair was wild, sticking out at odd ends, and her eyes were a hard blood red colored with tiny black pupils. On the top of her forehead was a glowing red symbols, and her face was covered with red slashes that looked like scars. Her canines had grown to abnormal lengths, almost stretching to her lower lip.

She looked positively vicious.

"Lu-Luna…" Adrian murmured, falling to her knees.

The fiend didn't move, it just stared at Luna, its giant wings still flapping. Luna rose her hand into the air, then, with one definite movement, clenched her fist.

The monster exploded with a deafening "BANG!". Its blood nearly missed the guardians and Adrian, but splattered all over Luna. Luna seemed unphased by it. In fact, a wild, almost evil grin spread over her face, revealing pearl white teeth that eerily contrasted with the crimson blood she was covered in.

The monster and its blood eventually turned into pyreflies, and Luna was once again clean of the monster's scent and liquid. Her eyes returned to their normal shade, and the symbols on her face disappeared.

She flashed them her usual smile and took out from her sack a tattered hat and her trusty doll. Putting the hat on and hugging the doll, she walked over to the troupe, a grin still on her face. The group noticed her teeth were also back to normal. "Don't worry. It'll be over soon!"

"Lu-Luna…what the heck was that?" Adrian asked, her eyes wide. "What just happened to you?"

But Luna had no time to answer the question. The group looked over to where they had once been sitting to see none other then a huge monster with bound hands and one shining eye was now standing.

It roared, as if in pain, and its eye glinted, destroying any fiend it touched. It was obvious that the creature was on their side.

Adrian and Ashnigh stared at the being, their mouths agape. "I-It's…that thing from years ago…" Adrian murmured. "That huge being."

"Yes…" was all Ashnigh could say.

Adrian rose to her feet and walked to the edge of the stadium. She jumped up onto the edge and reached out her hand, as if wanting to touch it. "It's so powerful…and yet…" She pulled back, stepping down. "It seems sad. Chained. …Much like me…"

"Who's controlling it?" asked Juka, breaking Adrian's line of thought.

"Oh my gosh!" Ashnigh gasped. "Look!" She pointed and the group looked to where her finger led.

Standing behind this great creature…was Maester Seymour…

* * *

The End of the chapter! Omigosh that was so long! TT I thought I was going to DIE writing it!

Anyway, I hope Luna enjoys the fact that she has had the longest chapter so far. I hope you all enjoyed reading the longest chapter so far:D

Until then,

Ciao for now!

-Sammy


	18. Blue Wings Part II

Yaaaay! Lots of people liked the last chapter, so I made a really quick update! This one isn't going to be as long, sadly, but it'll be chocked full of emo-ness and Kevi:D So jump on for the ride and enjoy…

* * *

Blue Wings Part II

* * *

Adrian could hardly contain her surprise as she saw the huge creature in front of her, destroying fiends all around them. And what shocked her more was the fact that none other then Maester Seymour was controlling the beast.

"I-It's an Aeon…" murmured Ashnigh, stepping forward. Adrian turned to face her and nodded.

"I feel it too," she agreed with Ashnigh. "That…thing is definitely an Aeon that's not located in the sacred temples of Spira. It's obviously some sort of fayth."

"I wonder…where Maester Seymour could have obtained such a powerful beast," wondered Ashnigh out loud. "It must have been a very strong Fayth that could make that powerful beast."

"Its name is Anima."

The group turned to see none other then Albatross, Lairon, and Katrina walking towards them, relatively unharmed. It had been Albatross that had spoken. "Anima is Maester Seymour's aeon. No one else has ever been able to have the Fayth obey them."

"It's so creepy!" Juka muttered, shivering. "Are those human arms around its neck?"

"Be quiet," Adrian snapped harshly to Juka. "It's amazing. I…want it. I'll find a way for the Fayth to obey me!"

"I doubt that you'll find where the Fayth is located," Albatross laughed. "Anyway, thanks to Maester Seymour, the attack is over. Let's get out of here while we still can!"

"Right!" nodded Tai, and the group began to move out towards the exits of the stadium.

"Lady Adrian!" The group was stopped abruptly by a group of Crusaders blocking their path. One of them saluted to Adrian and she stepped forward. "I'm sorry to stop you Lady Adrian, but I'm…I'm afraid…"

"You want me to send the dead?" Adrian asked bluntly.

"Yes. The numbers were…relatively small, but we'll still need any summoners we can find," the Crusader Captain told her.

"I'm in a hurry," Adrian muttered. "But I'll do it. Show me to them."

"Good!" the Captain sighed, content. "Y-Your guardians may come along if they wish. I understand they may not feel well enough, but--"

"We'll come," said Ashnigh, smiling. "Adrian will want us there, right Adrian?"

"Whatever," Adrian muttered. "I don't really care. You can go off and eat cotton candy if you like."

"I've got to go see some friends!" Luna said abruptly. The group turned back to Luna, still eyeing her torn hat and broken glasses. They hadn't said anything more since her outburst and killing of the monster, and she hadn't brought it up. "I'm going to go! Bye-bye!"

With that, Luna ran off towards the other side of the stadium, leaving the rest of the group with the Crusaders.

"Show me the first victims," Adrian demanded. The Crusaders hastily nodded and led Adrian and her group of Guardians out of the stadium.

They were greeted by wailing people and crying children, now orphans. In the middle of the town square were hundreds of bodies, clothes draped over them. Slowly, people were brought forward to identify the dead. A woman, seeing an older man, obviously her father, under a sheet, burst into tears and had to be taken away by a Crusader.

"This is horrible," Juka murmured, her eyes wide with shock.

"Never seen a joint funeral?" Adrian remarked bitterly. She stepped forward and drew her staff, walking up to the Crusaders in front of the pit of death. "Would you like me to send them now?"

"B-begging your pardon, milady," one of the female Crusaders bowed apologetically. "But we first need to notify the relatives of the deceased."

"How long will that take?" Adrian asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Not very long!" The Crusader assured her. "We only have two more bodies to identify! And they were together, so we'll be killing two birds with one stone…pardon…pardon the unintentional pun."

"Good," Adrian muttered. "Then I'll be out of here all the faster."

"What's the news, Adrian?" Tiffa asked as the group walked over to her.

"They have to identify two more bodies, then I can send them," Adrian told her. "They were together too, so either someone identifies them both, or they're John and Jane Does."

"So we wait until someone comes forward to claim them?" Spiler asked, blinking slightly. "Man…this is horrible."

"I wonder who they're related to," Ashnighed murmured, offering the two anonymous corpses a prayer. "I feel so sorry for their family members."

"Maybe no one's here," said Juka. "But we can't wait around for them for these people to be sent."

"Why not?" Tiffa asked. Ashnigh looked at her reproachfully.

"Because if we don't send them, then their souls will transform into fiends!" Ashnigh said, frowning. "You should at least know that!"

"Excuse me!" Tiffa remarked sarcastically, and Lairon pushed in.

"Let's not fight girls," he smiled, hugging Ashnigh. "It's all right. Everything will turn out just fine."

"Lairon's right," Albatross smiled, stepping forward and looking at the bodies. "I mean, it's not as if we know them."

"Hey you! Stay away from those bodies!"

"Have some respect!"

Adrian and the group whipped their heads around to see none other then Briu lifting up the two sheets and looking under them. Crusaders rushed over to pull Briu off, and when they did, the group could see Briu's face was as white as a sheet.

"B-Briu…what's wrong?" Juka asked.

"I-I…I was r-r-right!" he shivered, pointing at the now uncovered bodies. "Look!"

The group did look at where Briu was pointing, and as they saw the two corpses, they all gasped simultaneously.

Lying there amongst the rest of the dead were none other then Kevi's mother and father.

* * *

Luna had met her destination and had found who she was looking for. It was none other then Auron. Auron wasn't alone however. Next to him was the blonde blitz player from the game. He was looking rather confused; Auron looked rather forlorn.

"Wait!" Luna called to Auron. "Wait Mr. Auron!"

Auron remained silent as Luna came up to him. When she tugged at his sleeve, he turned to the blonde blitz player and nodded. "Wait for me outside. This won't take long."

"Uhh…whatever, Auron!" The player nodded, shot a look at Luna, who did not return it, and ran outside, his blue sword in his fist next to him.

"What do you want?" Auron asked her, coldly.

"You broke your promise!" Luna snapped, her eyes dark. "People died! You broke your promise!"

"I could care less about your 'promise'," said Auron. "Leave me be."

"People died!" Luna frowned. "You said you'd protect them!"

"I did," Auron muttered. "To the best of my ability. I'm only _mortal_." Auron turned around and faced the now angry Black Mage. "Why are you so angry with me? I thought you liked dead people."

"Luna doesn't like dead people," Luna shook her head. "And dead people don't like Luna! Except for you Auron! You're Luna's only friend!"

"I'm not your 'friend'," Auron said. "I have business to attend to. Leave me."

With that, Auron turned on his heel and left Luna in the stadium, following the blonde warrior from before. Luna frowned after Auron, and her canines began to grow again. Her eyes became tiny, and her hair started to rise.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Luna's hair fell and her eyes grew back to their normal shape. She exhaled, as if relieved. "Mr. Auron…we'll see each other again. Then I'll say that I'm sorry."

Luna gave Auron's back a final look, then ran away towards the other end of the stadium. "He won't take the news so well," Luna frowned. "Too bad."

* * *

"Oh my gosh!" Juka screamed, averting her eyes from Kevi's dead parents. Ashnigh covered her mouth and looked at her feet, obviously sick.

"What…what the hell?" Adrian asked, taking a step back from shock.

"I-It can't be!" Tiffa gasped, obviously shocked as well.

Simultaneously, the group turned to look upwards at Kevi. He hadn't said a word so far, but the expression on his face could tell exactly what was on his mind.

He was blank; his mouth agape and his eyes mere dots in the middle of the white material surrounding them. He was as pale as a ghost, and his arms were limp and looked dead.

Finally, he gulped, as if wetting his throat in order to say what he was about to shout out.

"MOM! DAD!" Kevi rushed forward and grasped the bodies with his arms, hugging their lifeless forms close. Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks, unashamed and gushing. "SAY SOMETHING, OH MY GOD!"

"Hey you! Get away from those bodies!" Two Crusaders ran over to pull Kevi off, only to have Adrian's staff block their path. They looked over at the dark summoner, and she shook her head.

"Don't move him…" she murmured, a hint of compassion in her voice.

Ashnigh was crying as well, and Lairon had already gathered her into his arms and was rocking her back and forth. Tears were in Juka's eyes as well, and Tiffa had looked away to make sure no one could see her face. Spiler had his hand on Briu's shoulder, and Briu looked as though he was trying hard to control his emotions. Tai was biting his lip, doing his best to not say anything in case his words might betray the tears forming in his eyes.

"MOM, DAD, OH GOD PLEASE WAKE UP!" Kevi screamed again, his goggles dropping off his face, revealing his bare eyes, still full of tears.

"I'm sorry, kid…" The Crusader stepped forward, grabbing Kevi's arm. Kevi batted him off and the Crusader didn't try again. "But we've got to send your parents."

"NO!" Kevi shook his head. "You're not taking them anywhere!"

"Kevi!" Adrian called and Kevi looked up, tears still in his eyes, his goggles still on the ground. "Get up."

"You're not taking them!" Kevi snapped, hugging his parents again. "You're not taking them, you witch!"

Adrian narrowed her eyes, walked slowly over to Kevi, and gave him a sharp kick in the stomach, making him reel off of his parent's bodies. The gang gasped at this sudden violent action, and Kevi looked up, rubbing the place where Adrian had kicked him. "I hate hypocrites," Adrian snarled, walking over to Kevi. "Follow your own advice and stop acting like a kid! You've have enough time to grieve, so move on."

She raised her staff into the air and stepped into the middle of the ring of bodies. Her black sleeve fell to her shoulder, and her bare arm was revealed. The rings on her fingers glowed, as did the black jewel embedded in her staff. Adrian swung the staff to her feet and began her graceful sending dance.

But it was different then most dances in the fact that it was almost dark and angry. Most sending dances were calm, quiet, and beautiful to watch. Adrian's seemed more like a sentence then a release to the Farplane. She swung the staff violently and quickly, her eyes closed in deep concentration. Her shoes kicked up and she twirled the staff around her head as the pyreflies began to swim around her, rising from the bodies and floating into the sky.

Reirana and Yeinin's spirits floated into the air and Kevi watched them go, his tears now dry, his face blank with shock and desperation. He looked down at their bodies to see his blue goggles still between their bodies, wet with his tears and resting serenely, as if keeping watch over them.

The dance ended, and the pyreflies rose towards the Farplane. The bystanders dried their tears and started to move away with their families. The Crusaders began to gather the bodies.

Adrian stepped out, her staff still in hand, and looked at her guardians. "How did I do?"

"Excellent," Ashnigh smiled at her, drying her tears.

"It seemed so dark," Juka observed, and Adrian turned to look at her. "Were you angry while you danced?"

"No."

"You seemed--"

"We're already behind," Adrian muttered. "But it's going to be dark soon. Starting out now, especially with all the fiend activity that might still be around, is useless."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that we should wait," Tai muttered.

"I think it has to do with Kevi," Spiler whispered to Tai, and the two of them eyed Kevi, who was still on the ground in shock. "He needs to time to recuperate."

As if on cue, Kevi stood up, making the group step back in fear of what he might do next. Kevi remained silent. He walked over to his parent's bodies, paused, looked at them, and then picked up his goggles.

He placed then over his eyes and turned to stare at the group. "I'm going to go think…see you later." With that, he turned and walked down the path to the docks, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his head low.

"Poor Kevi…" Ashnigh murmured.

"So tough…to lose his parents like that," Spiler murmured.

"I-I'm going after him!" Juka announced, turning to her companions. "Kevi's all depressed, we can't just leave him out there!"

"He's not going to jump into the sea or something," Adrian muttered.

"Aren't you being a little cold?" Juka barked back. Adrian's eyes met hers and the two stared one another down.

"It's none of your business how "cold" I am, as you say it," Adrian shook her head. "I'm afraid that Kevi's problems are things he himself has to get over. He should consider himself lucky that I'm allowing him this time."

"Lucky?" Juka asked. "How can you be so heartless? Look, Kevi may act tough, but he's still just a teenager inside! Like you and me!"

"I never considered myself a child," Adrian muttered. "You, however, are a different story."

"I don't care if I'm a child!" Juka snapped back. "But Kevi does! You told him to take his own advice and stop acting like a kid!" Her eyes grew dim, and she fumbled the next few words that left her mouth. "B-but if crying o-over your parent's death makes you a child…" She looked up at Adrian and stared her straight in the eye. "Then I'd rather be a kid then be heartless!"

For the first time, Juka saw Adrian act surprised at what she had said. She easily regained her composure and turned away from the girl. "Ashnigh, come with me."

Ashnigh looked nervous, but slowly followed Adrian up the stairs and towards the stadium. Juka watched them go, then ran off towards the docks.

"Hello!"

The group looked up to see none other then Luna running down the stairs, passing Adrian and Ashnigh. She looked slightly ruffled, but her usual grin was still plastered onto her face.

"Hello-wello!" Luna said again, jumping into the ring of people. "Why is everyone so down?"

"Luna…" Briu began. "Kevi's parents…they were killed in the attack."

"Oh!" Luna gasped. "So they were the ones. I told Kevi he shouldn't have said what he said, but he went and said it."

"This isn't the time for 'I told you so's," Tai snapped to Luna. "Kevi's parents are really dead!"

"But I did tell him!"

"That's not the point. You're being unsympathetic."

"Unsympathetic?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's when you lack sympathy," Spiler explained.

"What's sympathy?" Luna asked. The group looked at one another, obviously very confused.

"It's…uhh…when you feel sorry for someone else and you're kind to them, I guess," Tai shrugged. "Kind of hard to define."

"Oh!" Luna smiled. "Well I'll try to have more 'sympathy' in the future."

"Speaking of unsympathetic…" Spiler muttered, looking upwards at where Ashnigh and Adrian had left. "Where do you think those two are?"

* * *

"Ashnigh…" Adrian muttered, looking at the ground with a sour expression. "When my parents died…I didn't shed a tear."

"It was four years ago…" Ashnigh reminded Adrian. "Your parents were killed in an attack by Sin. You were away at the time, training for your Summoner duties."

"When I was asked if I wanted to go to their funeral…" Adrian sighed. "I said no. It was one year, seven months, and twenty-two days before I saw my parents' graves."

"But who's counting?" Ashnigh joked, and Adrian sent her a dark look.

"I _was_ counting," Adrian murmured. "I counted until the number got so high that I didn't think I could stand it anymore. I didn't owe my parents anything. But still, that guilt that welled up inside me was tearing me apart. I had…never felt anything like it."

"It's okay…to want to see your parents, Adrian," Ashnigh assured her, putting her arm on Adrian's shoulder.

"But it wasn't okay for me," Adrian muttered. "I had betrayed whatever internal promises I made to myself to never care about those people. But, in the end, I went to their graves, holding in tears for their souls.

"Am I truly heartless?" Adrian asked. "Do I truly not care about those around me?"

There was a pause as Adrian looked to where the sphere pool once stood. Ashnigh looked at her, then slowly opened her mouth to speak. "That pain you felt…" Ashnigh said, "was not guilt, Adrian."

Adrian turned to her pseudo-sister, eyebrow cocked.

"It was love."

"Please! I never felt love for those people," Adrian scoffed, shaking her head.

"I remember…" Ashnigh smiled. "A long time ago, when we were at the temple. You were in Black Magic training, and you had just been put in a spar with a more advanced student."

"_Fire!" Adrian, aged around eight, cast the spell directly at her opponent, only to have him side step the blow and ready his own staff._

"_Fira!" Adrian gasped as the spell hit her straight across the face, knocking her backwards. _

"_The winner!" the instructor announced, pointing to Adrian's opponent, who was looking quite pleased with himself. Meanwhile, Adrian was on the ground, holding her singed face._

"_Adrian!" Ashnigh, fourteen years old, ran over to Adrian and cast a quick spell on her face. "There you go, you'll be fine."_

"_I want my mommy!"_

_Ashnigh looked down at the tiny Adrian to see something that she never thought she would see. Adrian was bawling. Tears were rolling down her chubby eight year old face, and her cheeks were red. "I want my mommy! I want my daddy!"_

Adrian blushed as Ashnigh finished the story. "I was small, and the burn hurt. I must have been delirious."

"You were a serious child," Ashnigh smiled. "Never cried over anything. That's why I was so surprised when I saw you sobbing like that. It was just a small burn, and it was already healed." She paused. "I think that you were truly crying out for your mother and father out of loneliness."

"Perhaps…" Adrian shrugged. "So what are you trying to say Ashnigh? That I'm weak?"

"No," Ashnigh shook her head and smiled up at Adrian. "I'm trying to say that you're not heartless. That those tears that you never shed for your parents were simply invisible. You've been crying for four years."

Adrian turned around, looking at Ashnigh. "I don't want…to keep crying."

"Maybe water will turn them off," Ashnigh smiled at Adrian.

Slowly, but surely, tears formed in Adrian's eyes and fell down her face. She didn't make any sounds of choking or wheezing, and her expression did not change. She simply stood there and let the tears fall from her eyes, as if someone had turned on a faucet.

Adrian stood there, and cried, not making any sound that would betray her inner emotions.

* * *

"Kevi!" Juka called, running through the docks, looking for the blue-clad axe man. "Kevi, where the heck are you?"

"Juka, you're making a big racket."

Juka looked over to see none other then Kevi sitting, his boots dangling only inches above the water, the soles wet from the incoming tides. He was staring downwards at his lap, his eyes hidden from view.

"Kevi! There you are!" Juka smiled, running over to Kevi. "Kevi, are you okay?"

"My parents are dead, and I'm the reason. You think I'm okay?"

"Huh?" Juka looked at Kevi, confused. "Whatcha talking about? You're not the reason! The fiends…well…you know…"

"They _asked _me to sit with them," Kevi muttered, his hands clenched and shaking. "If I had just sat with them, then I would have been able to save them, I know it!"

"That's not true!" Juka shook her head violently. "You might've been killed as well!"

"And those things I said…" Kevi muttered. His hand went to his head, and he grasped his hair. "The last things I ever said to them were full of hatred and spite!"

"_I'll speak to him like an adult, cause that's what I am!" Kevi snapped. "I'm tired of you treating me like a little kid! I'm old enough to take care of myself!"_

"_But Kevi--" Yeinin began._

"_Just shut up!" shouted Kevi. "I hate the way you guys treat me! I wish that you would just mind your own damn business!"_

"_Just mind your own damn business!"_

"_Mind your own damn business!"_

"_Your own damn business!"_

"The next thing I know, they're dead!" Kevi shouted. "How could I have said that to them? They died, thinking that I hated them!"

"Did you…did you hate them?" Juka asked.

"No! No, of course not! I loved them! Sure, they got on my nerves sometimes, but that doesn't change the fact that they're my parents and I…I love them," Kevi was crying now, tears rushing down his face. He resembled a small child, crying over an injury or a lost toy.

"I'm sure they knew that!" Juka told Kevi earnestly. "The fayth told them I bet!"

"What do you know?" Kevi snapped bitterly, turning to Juka, his eyes red and vicious. "Just shut the hell up about things you don't understand!"

"I understand one thing!" Juka snapped. "And that's that parents will always love their children! No matter what!" Juka frowned at Kevi. "And y-you're not doing your parents justice to say that they thought bad things about you in their final moments!"

Kevi frowned, turning away from Juka.

"They know you didn't mean what you said!" Juka assured him. "Kids say stuff they don't mean all the time! And adults do it too!" She took a deep breath, waiting for Kevi's reply.

"…How am I ever…ever supposed to get over this?"

"Well!" Juka smiled. "You're…you're just going have to feel this way until you don't feel this way anymore! That's what _my_ family always does!"

Kevi sighed. "You're crazy, kid."

"Heh!" Juka grinned, sitting down next to Kevi and trying to reach the water with her feet. "Maybe I am!"

Kevi and Juka watched as pyreflies flew through the air, circling one another as they rose towards the sky and made their way towards the Farplane. Two stopped, circled each other, then flew towards Kevi.

Kevi's eyes widened as the pyreflies circled his head, gently touched his cheeks, then rose into the air and rejoined the rest of the group.

"Hey!" Juka smiled. "Look! They just said hi!"

"Nah," Kevi shook his head, and Juka looked up to see he was smiling. "They just said 'We love you.'."

Juka smiled, kicked off her shoes, and jumped into the shallow end of the water. "Maybe they did."

* * *

The End! Yay for emo! Go, go, emo rangers!

Uhh…don't ask. Anyway, I've got loads of writing to do. I'm on a deadline! See you all later!

Until then,

Ciao for now!


	19. Indigo Wings Part II

Indigo Wings Part II

---

"It's too bad that Adrian cancelled our party!" Juka said to Albatross as the two walked through the Luca town square a bit later. Kevi had retreated to the hotel, and Adrian had said that, although she would comply to staying the night, parties were strictly prohibited. "This really sucks."

"I guess," Albatross laughed. Albatross had asked Juka if she had wanted to take a walk with him before Adrian demanded they all go to sleep. It was still the middle of the day, and the sun was still shining overhead as people excitedly talked of the Auroch's victory in the tournament. "But hey, this isn't so bad, right?"

"Where are you guys going after this?" Juka asked her Yevon Priest friend.

"Lord Mika wants my attendance in Bevelle," Albatross told her. "So we'll be heading there via the Mihen High Road."

"We're heading that way too!" Juka said excitedly. "Maybe we could go together!"

"Sorry Juka, but we have to get there A.S.A.P," Albatross said with an apologetic frown. "We'll be escorted by the Chocobo Knights."

"Oh, I see," Juka grinned, elbowing Albatross in the arm. "Mr. Fancy Pants is getting special treatment, huh?"

"Hey, no way!" Albatross laughed. "To tell you the truth, I'd rather just walk. But Mika will saw my head off."

Juka laughed at that image. The two walked down the street, past the Sphere theater, and now were in the main hall of the tournament stadium. Crusaders still lined the area, looking for any sort of fiends left over from the attack earlier. "Let's take a walk along the docks," Albatross suggested, pointing to the left hall. "What do you say?"

"Sure, why not?" Juka asked, smiling at her friend. "Sounds fun!"

---

"There, that's better," Ashnigh smiled as she finished healing Lairon's arm. The rest of the gang were assembled in a hotel room in Luca, and Ashnigh had just finished healing a burn on Lairon's arm that he had received from a fiend.

"Thanks Ashnigh," Lairon smiled. "I owe you."

"No, it's my pleasure," Ashnigh smiled warmly and looked over to where Adrian was sitting, looking at her hands and thinking hard. "What's wrong Adrian?"

"I'm thinking about Maester Seymour's aeon," Adrian said.

"I thought that it would still be on your mind…" Ashnigh sighed.

"You mean Anima?" Lairon asked. Adrian turned to Lairon, as did Ashnigh. "Anima is Maester Seymour's personal Aeon. Only he controls it. No one knows where it actually resides."

"That's amazing," Ashnigh murmured. "But…the Aeon…Anima was it?"

"Yes."

"It isn't like the other Aeons," she shook her head. "It seems almost…pained. Not like the others. It seems like it's fighting reluctantly."

"Who knows?" Adrian murmured, turning around. "All I know…is that that power I felt was the greatest power I think I'll ever feel."

"And you want it?" Lairon asked, smiling.

"Yes," Adrian nodded. "But not for the reasons you think."

"Then what reason?"

Adrian paused, looked at her hands again, and clenched them into tight fists. "To understand…what it truly is."

---

"Hey you! Don't just stand there! All of this is your fault! Gettin' swallowed by Sin! Ending up here in Spira!"

Juka's ears perked up, and she looked to her left as the two passed by one of the docks. She gasped to see it was the same blonde haired guy that she had seen running by the area before. He was shouting at an older man that she had also seen at the stadium…was he the one that had been with Luna?

"Not being able to go back to Zanarkand--everything, everything! I'm telling you, it's all your fault." The blonde haired guy's voice subsided. He was no longer angry, but now…almost disappointed.

"What is he talking about?" Juka whispered to Albatross.

"Come."

Juka nodded as the High Priest made his way behind a stack of large crates to listen more intently. Juka followed him and hid as well. The conversation continued, and the two listened intently.

The older man laughed, and Juka looked at Albatross anxiously. However, Albatross didn't return her gaze. He was too busy looking at the man and the boy, his eyes sharp and intent. Juka also returned to the conversation.

"Who are you, anyway?" asked the blonde youth, "You knew my old man, didn't you?"

"His…father?" Juka whispered. "What's he talking about with all this 'Zanarkand' stuff?"

"Shhh," Albatross quieted her, and Juka nodded, remaining silent.

"Yeah," the older man replied.

"And you also knew Yuna's father?" Lady Yuna's father…Lord Braska. The last High Summoner to have defeated Sin. So this man was obviously extremely important.

"That's correct."

"Hey man, no way!" the blonde guy interjected, "There's no way. That just impossible!"

"Nothing impossible about it…" the man murmured, looking out at the sea. "Jecht, Braska, and I... Together we defeated Sin, ten years ago." Juka gasped. So this man was actually Sir Auron, the legendary guardian of Lord Braska, along with Sir Jecht. "Then I went to Zanarkand...where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira."

'Bring him…to Spira?' Juka thought, furrowing her brow. 'I don't get it. Where could he have come from?'

"Why did it have to be me?" the youth asked.

"Jecht asked me to." Juka gasped. Everyone knew that Sir Jecht was dead, right? Had it been the man's dying wish for his son to come to Spira? But then again…

"_I…" Juka shook her head. "What about Sir Jecht? Is he dead too?"  
_

"_Nope! He's alive!" Luna smiled and Juka once again fell over._

"_You idiot! Everyone knows he's dead! He died along with High Summoner Braska! Only fools think that he might still be alive!"_

"_But he is!" Luna frowned. "And everyone knows he's alive too!"_

"_No they don't!" Juka snapped. "He's dead Luna! You're just being silly!"_

"_I am not, I am not!" Luna shook her head, almost shaking her cap right off of it. "Look at the statue!" She pointed to Jecht's statue. "Look at it! Really look at it!" _

"Is he…alive?" the boy asked, and Juka looked up. Her question was about to be answered.

"It depends on what you mean by "alive". He is no longer human. But then...I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, couldn't you?" Juka looked at Albatross, but Albatross was so engrossed in the conversation that he paid Juka no mind. She was forced to return back to the conversation, still confused, but fear knotting in her stomach. "You must have felt him when you came in contact with Sin."

There was a pause, and Juka almost let out a huge gasp as she realized what Auron was insinuating. Sir Jecht's son also looked as though he had realized it. He stepped back, shocked.

"It can't be…" He muttered.

"It can't be..." Juka repeated, her eyes wide.

"It is," Auron turned to the boy, a cold stare on his face. "Sin is Jecht."

Juka backed away, knocking over a crate in her rustling. Albatross turned to her, and then to the other two, but it seemed as though they hadn't noticed.

Juka was already running, Albatross right behind her. She had to tell someone, anyone, about this. What was going on? Sir Jecht, the beloved guardian of Lord Braska, was actually Sin? And his son had come from Zanarkand in order to see his father? It didn't make sense to her, and she didn't know where she was going, or what she was doing. The next thing Juka realized, she was sprinting towards the hotel, only one thing in mind.

---

"Sin is Jecht!"

Juka slammed open the door to their room and screamed out what she had just heard to the people currently conversing amongst themselves. They turned to look at her, and Juka had to catch her breath before continuing. "I-It's…It's Jecht. Sir Jecht. He's…actually…he's actually…"

"Sir Jecht, legendary guardian of Lord Braska, is actually Sin."

Juka looked up to see a very hardened faced Albatross staring at the room of people, who were currently looking extremely confused. "Sin has an identity. And it is none other than Sir Jecht."

"You're nuts!" Tai shouted, standing up, his eyes wide. "What's all this talk about?"

"Yeah! I don't get it!" Briu shook his head. "How can Sir Jecht _be _Sin? Why would kill all those people?"

"I know as much as you do now," Albatross said, narrowing his eyes. "But I just know one thing; Sir Auron did not lie. Sir Jecht…_is_ Sin."

"He's RIIIIGHHHT!"

The group looked up to see none other then Luna hanging from the light fixture on the ceiling, smiling widely and tapping her boots together. She jumped down, knocking Lairon and Ashnigh off of the sofa and claiming it for herself. "Sin is Jecht all right! 150 percent certain!"

"How would _you_ know Luna?" Spiler asked, looking at the energetic Black Mage.

"Where's Kevi?" Ashnigh asked, getting up and rubbing her tail bone. "He should hear this too…"

"It's not you actually believe it Ashnigh?" Tai asked, looking at her oddly.

"W-Well…Sir Albatross says it's so," she said, looking at her shoes. "I don't understand much…but…but the least we can do is take this information to heart."

"I agree with Ashnigh," Lairon said. "Something like this…could be valuable against Sin."

"I really don't care what Sin happens to be."

The group looked up to see that it was none other then Adrian that had spoken. She was currently staring out the window the hotel room, her eyes blank and translucent. "I'm not going to be pretend that I'm not surprised, but the truth is, I have to defeat Sin, no matter what."

"And there's one more thing!" Juka said, stepping forward. "The blonde guy with Sir Auron was actually--"

Albatross squeezed Juka's shoulder, and Juka stopped, turning to look at Albatross. He didn't give her a look, but squeezed her shoulder again. She gave him an odd expression, confused as to why he was urging her to keep Sir Jecht's son from Zanarkand a secret, but she trusted the Maester-to-be and turned to the group. "He…was…actually the guy we saw the other time. Adrian and Albatross were with me. He must be a companion…"

"I don't see why that matters," Briu shrugged, and Adrian turned to look at Juka, who was averting her gaze. "Anyway…about Kevi…"

"What about me?"

The group looked up to see Kevi walk through the door, a dark expression on his face. "I heard most of it. I've been standing behind the door for awhile. Don't worry, no one else heard."

"Good," Albatross nodded. "Katrina, Lairon, we have to get going. Maester Mika is expecting us."

"You're not going to--" Juka began, and Albatross smiled at her.

"This will be our secret," he told them all, surveying the group as Lairon and Katrina got up to join him. "As friends. I'll be in contact."

With that, Albatross, Lairon, and Katrina walked towards the door, Kevi moving out of the way to let them go. Lairon smiled at Ashnigh as they left, and Katrina made a face at Tiffa as she left the room, Tiffa making a rather rude gesture in response.

Soon, the three were gone, leaving only the sullen summoner and her guardians in the hotel room. "So…" Juka looked at her shoes. "What now? Should we…find Sir Auron again?"

"Nah!" Luna shook her head. "Wouldn't be worth it. He won't talk to no one but me, and he hates me anyway!"

"Then I guess we're stuck when it comes to this lead," Kevi sighed, sitting on an available chair. "What do we do?"

"There's only one thing we can do," Adrian remarked, turning her head to have her eyes meet her entire group. "We keep going. Tomorrow morning we head straight for Djose Temple."

"I bet…" Juka began, and everyone turned to stare at the young girl. "If I could find that blonde guy again…I could talk to him…about Jecht."

"What makes you so sure?" Adrian looked back at Juka, her eyes narrow.

"Well, I dunno," Juka sighed, shaking her head and tapping her foot. "I've run into him two times already, haven't I? Maybe it's fate."

"I don't really care much about fate," Adrian muttered. "For now, I suggest we keep our eyes on the prize. And that is Sin."


End file.
